Endometriosis: disease pathophysiology and the role of prostaglandins

Endometriosis is considered to be a polygenic disease with a complex, multifactorial aetiology that affects about 10% of women in the reproductive age. Women with endometriosis have symptoms that include chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia, significantly reducing their quality of life. Endometriosis is also the primary cause of infertility in women, with the prevalence rate ranging from 20% to 50%. The high prevalence and severe outcomes of this disease have made it a major public health concern in modern society. Currently, the mechanism(s) responsible for the initiation and promotion of this disease remains obscure. In this review, we focus on the expression, regulation and action of prostaglandins in the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development and/or maintenance of endometriosis.

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The role of the immune response in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis

Romanian Medical Journal ◽

10.37897/rmj.2021.1.7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 40-47

Author(s):

Catalina Diana Stanica ◽

◽

Adrian , Neacsu ◽

Romina Marina Sima ◽

Raluca Gabriela Ioan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Chronic Pelvic Pain ◽

Economic Consequences ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Women Of Reproductive Age ◽

Cytokines And Chemokines ◽

Altered Immune Response

Endometriosis is a benign, chronic, estrogen-dependent condition, present in 10% of women of reproductive age. The condition is associated with chronic pelvic pain and infertility that influence their quality of life, as well as married life and has important socio-economic consequences. Despite its high morbidity, its etiopathogenesis is incompletely known. A large number of studies suggest that the ability of endometrial implants to grow in ectopic locations may be correlated with the altered immune response towards the endometriotic tissue. There are enough data to show that immune system mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines, are playing key roles in the onset and olso on progression of endometriosis. There are studies that prove the association between endometriosis and autoimmune diseases. The present paper aims to investigate the implications of the immune response in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis. The study of cellular or humoral immunity deficits, the presence of autoantibodies associated with this condition, can facilitate the understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the appearance and spread of endometriosis. We hope that this information will ultimately provide the basis for the development of new effective approaches in endometriosis management.

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Processes exacerbating apoptosis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20190068 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 133 (22) ◽

pp. 2245-2264 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marta B. Afonso ◽

Rui E. Castro ◽

Cecília M. P. Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Health Concern ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Intrinsic Signals ◽

Alcoholic Steatohepatitis ◽

Significant Public Health Concern ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Significant Public Health ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant public health concern, owing to its high prevalence, progressive nature and lack of effective medical therapies. NAFLD is a complex and multifactorial disease involving the progressive and concerted action of factors that contribute to the development of liver inflammation and eventually fibrosis. Here, we summarize fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), how they are interrelated and possible translation to clinical applications. We focus on processes triggering and exacerbating apoptotic signalling in the liver of NAFLD patients and their metabolic and pathological implications. Indeed, liver injury and inflammation are cardinal histopathological features of NASH, a duo in which derailment of apoptosis is of paramount importance. In turn, the liver houses a very high number of mitochondria, crucial metabolic unifiers of both extrinsic and intrinsic signals that converge in apoptosis activation. The role of lifestyle options is also dissected, highlighting the management of modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and harmful alcohol consumption, influencing apoptosis signalling in the liver and ultimately NAFLD progression. Integrating NAFLD-associated pathologic mechanisms in the cell death context could provide clues for a more profound understating of the disease and pave the way for novel rational therapies.

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Tuberculosis: treatment failure, or failure to treat? Lessons from India and South Africa

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001097 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. e001097 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Nesri Padayatchi ◽

Amrita Daftary ◽

Naressa Naidu ◽

Kogieleum Naidoo ◽

Madhukar Pai

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Health Concern ◽

Control Analysis ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Tb Control ◽

Cascade Of Care ◽

Incident Cases ◽

Compare And Contrast

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an enormous public health concern globally. India and South Africa rank among the top 10 high TB burden countries with the highest absolute burden of TB, and the second highest rate of TB incidence, respectively. Although the primary drivers of TB transmission vary considerably between these two countries, they do indeed share common themes. In 2017, only 64% of the global estimated incident cases of TB were reported, the remaining 36% of ‘missing’ cases were either undiagnosed, untreated or unreported. These ‘missing TB cases’ have generated much hype for the challenges they present in achieving the End TB Strategy. Although India and South Africa have indeed made significant strides in TB control, analysis of the patient cascade of care clearly suggests that these ‘missed’ patients are not really missing—most are actively engaging the health system—the system, however, is failing to appropriately manage them. In short, quality of TB care is suboptimal and must urgently be addressed, merely focusing on coverage of TB services is no longer sufficient. While the world awaits revolutionary vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, programmatic data indicate that much can be done to accelerate the decline of TB. In this perspective, we compare and contrast these two national epidemics, and explore barriers, with a particular focus on the role of health systems in finding the missing millions.

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The Potential Role of Extracellular Vesicles in COVID-19 Treatment:Opportunity and Challenge

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences ◽

10.3389/fmolb.2021.699929 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Yan-yan Yan ◽

Wen-min Zhou ◽

Yu-qing Wang ◽

Qiao-ru Guo ◽

Fu-xi Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Potential Role ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Health Concern ◽

Targeted Drugs ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Current Prevalence ◽

High Prevalence ◽

The World

SARS-CoV-2 infection has become an urgent public health concern worldwide, severely affecting our society and economy due to the long incubation time and high prevalence. People spare no effort on the rapid development of vaccine and treatment all over the world. Amongst the numerous ways of tackling this pandemic, some approaches using extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging. In this review, we summarize current prevalence and pathogenesis of COVID-19, involving the combination of SARS-CoV-2 and virus receptor ACE2, endothelial dysfunction and micro thrombosis, together with cytokine storm. We also discuss the ongoing EVs-based strategies for the treatment of COVID-19, including mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-EVs, drug-EVs, vaccine-EVs, platelet-EVs, and others. This manuscript provides the foundation for the development of targeted drugs and vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

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Significance and Role of Athletes in Ethical Education of Youth

Physical Education and Sport Through the Centuries ◽

10.2478/spes-2019-0013 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 62-74

Author(s):

Ivana Markov Čikić ◽

Aleksandar Ivanovski

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Role Models ◽

Role Model ◽

Modern Society ◽

Ethical Education ◽

Open Issue ◽

Clear Identification ◽

Relationship Of

Summary One cannot write about the relationship of young people and current sports stars in modern society without having previously studied the processes of mediation and globalisation of sport, and the transformation of traditional social values. The goal of the science and practice engaged in sports and education of young people is a constant quest for preserving universal ethical values and reconciling them with the modern-day social processes. This paper will present the result of a survey conducted with adolescents in five different Serbian cities in order to find the answer to the question if sportspersons were their favourite television role-models. According to the results of our survey, 45% of adolescents do not have a favourite TV personality and do not know for sure who that could be. Novak Đoković, who would be the choice of adults for a role model of the young, with 63.2% according to the survey conducted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, scored 3.81% in our survey with adolescents who would chose Novak Đoković as their favourite TV personality. The necessity of raising media literacy of young people with the aim of clear identification of sports role models who are going to improve their quality of life still remains an open issue for further research on this course.

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Review of Constipation Treatment Methods with Emphasis on Laxative Foods

Current Nutrition & Food Science ◽

10.2174/1573401315666191002164336 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 675-688

Author(s):

Shamsi Abbasalizadeh ◽

Behzad Ebrahimi ◽

Aslan Azizi ◽

Rogaye Dargahi ◽

Maryam Tayebali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Health Concern ◽

Lifestyle Factor ◽

Flax Seed ◽

Lifestyle Modifications ◽

Food Ingredients ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Daily Exercise

Constipation is a common public health concern experienced by all individuals during their life affecting the quality of life. In this paper, we aimed to provide an overview of the existing evidence regarding the role of food ingredients, including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, and flax-seed in constipation treatment. We searched Scopus, Pub Med, and Science Direct by using the keywords, “laxative foods” and “constipation”, for searching studies assessing laxative food ingredients and their beneficial effects on constipation treatment and/or control. Lifestyle modifications such as increasing dietary fiber and fluid intake and daily exercise are the proposed first line treatments for constipation. Optimizing ‘diet’ as an efficient lifestyle factor may contribute to the well-being of patients. The use of laxative food ingredients including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, flax-seed, probiotics, and prebiotics is a convenient alternative to cope with constipation. According to previous findings, laxative food ingredients could be considered as effective treatments for subjects suffering from constipation. Many studies have assessed the pharmacological and non-pharmacological roles of these ingredients in treating constipation, however, their importance has not been thoroughly investigated.

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Probiotics as a Possible Strategy for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergies. A Narrative Review

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10040701 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 701

Author(s):

Aroa Lopez-Santamarina ◽

Esther Gonzalez Gonzalez ◽

Alexandre Lamas ◽

Alicia del Carmen Mondragon ◽

Patricia Regal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Allergic Diseases ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Probiotic Bacteria ◽

Health Concern ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Cytokine Release ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Opportunistic Bacteria

Allergies are an increasing global public health concern, especially for children and people living in urban environments. Allergies impair the quality of life of those who suffer from them, and for this reason, alternatives for the treatment of allergic diseases or reduction in their symptoms are being sought. The main objective of this study was to compile the studies carried out on probiotics as a possible therapy for allergies. The most studied allergies on which probiotics have been shown to have a beneficial effect are rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Most studies have studied the administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. in children and have shown beneficial effects, such as a reduction in hyperreactivity and inflammation caused by allergens and a decrease in cytokine release, among other beneficial effects. In the case of children, no clear beneficial effects were found in several studies, and the potential risk from the use of some opportunistic bacteria, such as probiotics, seems controversial. In the studies that reported beneficial results, these effects were found to make allergy symptoms less aggressive, thus reducing morbidity in allergy sufferers. The different effects of the same probiotic bacteria on different patients seem to reinforce the idea that the efficacy of probiotics is dependent on the microbial species or strain, its derived metabolites and byproducts, and the gut microbiota eubiosis of the patient. This study is relevant in the context of allergic diseases, as it provides a broader understanding of new alternatives for the treatment of allergies, both in children, who are the main sufferers, and adults, showing that probiotics, in some cases, reduce the symptoms and severity of such diseases.

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The roles and mechanisms of hypoxia in liver fibrosis

Journal of Translational Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12967-021-02854-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jingyao Cai ◽

Min Hu ◽

Zhiyang Chen ◽

Zeng Ling

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Liver Fibrosis ◽

Theoretical Basis ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Clinical Intervention ◽

Chronic Liver Injury ◽

Key Factor

AbstractLiver fibrosis occurs in response to any etiology of chronic liver injury. Lack of appropriate clinical intervention will lead to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), seriously affecting the quality of life of patients, but the current clinical treatments of liver fibrosis have not been developed yet. Recent studies have shown that hypoxia is a key factor promoting the progression of liver fibrosis. Hypoxia can cause liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis can, in turn, profoundly further deepen the degree of hypoxia. Therefore, exploring the role of hypoxia in liver fibrosis will help to further understand the process of liver fibrosis, and provide the theoretical basis for its diagnosis and treatment, which is of great significance to avoid further deterioration of liver diseases and protect the life and health of patients. This review highlights the recent advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of hypoxia in developments of liver fibrosis.

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Sport-related concussions

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/s1980-57642014dn81000003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 14-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jéssica Natuline Ianof ◽

Fabio Rios Freire ◽

Vanessa Tomé Gonçalves Calado ◽

Juliana Rhein Lacerda ◽

Fernanda Coelho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

American Football ◽

Health Concern ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Increased Risk ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Biomechanical Forces ◽

The Brain

ABSTRACT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of lifelong disability and death worldwide. Sport-related traumatic brain injury is an important public health concern. The purpose of this review was to highlight the importance of sport-related concussions. Concussion refers to a transient alteration in consciousness induced by external biomechanical forces transmitted directly or indirectly to the brain. It is a common, although most likely underreported, condition. Contact sports such as American football, rugby, soccer, boxing, basketball and hockey are associated with a relatively high prevalence of concussion. Various factors may be associated with a greater risk of sport-related concussion, such as age, sex, sport played, level of sport played and equipment used. Physical complaints (headache, fatigue, dizziness), behavioral changes (depression, anxiety, irritability) and cognitive impairment are very common after a concussion. The risk of premature return to activities includes the prolongation of post-concussive symptoms and increased risk of concussion recurrence.

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Polypeptide-GalNAc-Transferase-13 Shows Prognostic Impact in Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13225616 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 5616

Author(s):

Eugenia Fernandez ◽

Luis Ubillos ◽

Nabila Elgul ◽

María Florencia Festari ◽

Daniel Mazal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Lymph Nodes ◽

Cancer Biology ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Health Concern ◽

Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Prognostic Impact ◽

Metastatic Lymph Nodes ◽

Metastatic Lymph

Breast cancer is a public health concern and is currently the fifth cause of mortality worldwide. Identification of different biological subtypes is essential for clinical management; therefore, the role of pathologists is essential and useful tools for immunohistochemistry diagnosis are needed. Polypeptide-GalNAc-transferases are emerging novel biomarkers related to cancer behavior and GalNAc-T13, correlated with aggressiveness in some tumors, is an interesting candidate. Few monoclonal antibodies reacting with native proteins, and not affected by fixation and paraffin embedding, have been reported. The aim of this work was to develop a useful monoclonal antibody anti-GalNAc-T13 and to assess its potential significance in breast cancer diagnosis. We evaluated 6 human breast cancer cell lines, 338 primary breast tumors and 48 metastatic lymph nodes and looked for clinical significance correlating GalNAc-T13 expression with patients’ clinical features and survival. We found high GalNAc-T13 expression in 43.8% of the cases and observed a significant higher expression in metastatic lymph nodes, correlating with worse overall survival. We hypothesized several possible molecular mechanisms and their implications. We conclude that GalNAc-T13 may be a novel biomarker in breast cancer, useful for routine pathological diagnosis. Elucidation of molecular mechanisms related to aggressiveness should contribute to understand the role of GalNAc-T13 in breast cancer biology.

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