Identification of Attractive Drug Targets in Neglected-Disease Pathogens Using an In Silico Approach

In cell-based drug development, researchers attempt to create drugs that kill a pathogen without necessarily understanding the details of how the drugs work. In contrast, target-based drug development entails the search for compounds that act on a specific intracellular target—often a protein known or suspected to be required for survival of the pathogen. The latter approach to drug development has been facilitated greatly by the sequencing of many pathogen genomes and the incorporation of genome data into user-friendly databases. The present paper shows how the database TDRtargets.org can identify proteins that might be considered good drug targets for diseases such as African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, parasitic worm infections, tuberculosis, and malaria. These proteins may score highly in searches of the database because they are dissimilar to human proteins, are structurally similar to other “druggable” proteins, have functions that are easy to measure, and/or fulfill other criteria. Researchers can use the lists of high-scoring proteins as a basis for deciding which potential drug targets to pursue experimentally

A hermeneutic literature review to conceptualise altruism as a value in nursing

BACKGROUND : Discussions on ethics of care are needed to shape the identity of nurses and nursing. In light of the discourses surrounding nursing and altruism, nurses should initiate research on altruism and nursing. AIM : The purpose of this literature review was to explore the meaning of altruism as a value in nursing. REVIEW METHODS : A hermeneutic approach, using a circular framework, was followed to search for literature, review and understand the text. RESULTS : The conceptualisation of altruism as a value in nursing care in this review strives to describe what altruism is; in what situations does it appear; for what purpose is it used; and how is it practiced. CONCLUSION : Altruism enables nurses to tolerate difficult situations and motivates them to sacrifice themselves and do what is best for the patient, especially when patients are compromised in their ability to care for themselves.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/147167122020-10-27hj2019Nursing Scienc