China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Self-assembled Peptide Nanostructures and Their Applications
Published in Klaus D. Sattler, st Century Nanoscience – A Handbook, 2020
The formation of amyloid fibril is due to the aggregation of proteins in biological systems. Amyloid fibrils are commonly seen in several diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s diseases (Harper and Lansbury 1997, Wickner et al. 2000, Sunde and Blake 1998, Gazit 2002b, Reches et al. 2002). In different diseases, many proteins without having any structural and functional homology also form amyloid-like fibrils with similar properties. The large, highly ordered, organized amyloid fibrils formed by proteins exhibited a diameter of 7–10 nm and an X-ray diffraction pattern with 4.6–4.8 Å on the meridian (Gilead and Gazit 2005). In general, the formation of amyloid fibrils occurred in long chain polypeptides having greater than 30 amino acids residues. These fibrils are formed via β-sheet conformation. Not only the long chain polypeptides, short tetra-, penta- and hexapeptides also form similar amyloid-like fibrillar nanostructures with similar biophysical and structural properties like the nanofibrils that are formed by larger polypeptides. Tenidis et al. reported fibrillar-like structures with short pentapeptide FGAIL and hexapeptide NFGAIL that are very similar to the fibrillar structures formed by islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) (Tenidis et al. 2000). This IAPP is a 37 amino acid containing polypeptide hormone that is responsible for type II diabetes.
Nervous System
Published in Joseph D. Bronzino, Donald R. Peterson, Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals, 2019
ree long-term, large-scale studies (Framingham Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, and NHANES III) support the association of physical activity and certain dietary elements (tea, vitamin D) with possibly maintaining cognitive ability and reducing dementia risk in older adults. Plus, a new study in an animal model of Alzheimer’s reported at AAICAD 2010 suggests that an antioxidant-rich diet with walnuts may benet brain function. Research has pointed toward a number of factors that may impact our risk of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline, the strongest being reducing cardiovascular risk factors. Experimental immunotherapies are also suggested that target the β-amyloid.
Nanomedicine and Phage Capsids
Published in Shaker A. Mousa, Raj Bawa, Gerald F. Audette, The Road from Nanomedicine to Precision Medicine, 2020
Philip Serwer, Elena T. Wright
Neurodegenerative diseases are all characterized by the presence of protein aggregates collectively called amyloid. This name is derived from starch-like texture. The aggregate-forming protein varies with the neurodegenerative disease (reviews: ALS [42], Alzheimer [43], Huntington [44], Parkinson [45], prion-associated [46]). When various proteins form amyloid, they convert from an original mixed-element structure to a predominantly β-sheet structure.
System Development and Evaluation of Human–Computer Interaction Approach for Assessing Functional Impairment for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Study
Published in International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 2023
Tian Su, Zixing Ding, Lizhen Cui, Lingguo Bu
The symptoms and treatment of AD and MCI vary among individuals, and current medical resources do not offer a definitive cure. The role of cognitive rehabilitation, which can be categorized into pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, is to delay the worsening of the associated symptoms (Ren et al., 2021). Pharmacological treatments include cognitive enhancement agents, psychotropic drugs for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms, and monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid β oligomers and plaques to improve the disease condition. However, many of these medications are still undergoing clinical trials, and their potential side effects are not yet fully understood (Grill & Cummings, 2010). On the other hand, non-pharmacological treatment focuses on enhancing the quality of life and cognitive abilities of patients (Han et al., 2020) through multi-disciplinary interventions, including mental health support, physical exercise, and social activities, such as somatic movement, music therapy, and play therapy (Barak & Aizenberg, 2010; Mulchandani et al., 2022). However, non-pharmacological treatments often require the involvement of healthcare professionals and can be expensive. Studies show that the annual cost of treating AD patients in this country exceeded $160 million in 2015 and is projected to reach as high as $188.718 billion by 2050. These findings suggest the need for more effective and affordable non-pharmacological interventions to achieve optimal outcomes for individuals with cognitive impairment (Mandiliotis et al., 2013).