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Topic Review
Importance of Digital Platforms for Portuguese Local Media
In an era dominated by digital platforms and news applications, the media faces many challenges, mainly because they are no longer the only ones to control the ecosystem of news production and distribution. In this context, for news outlets, these digital platforms of we can include, between others, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, “become powerhouses of news distribution and production”, a “key for the success of news stories, and “the most effective way to cultivate new audiences”. Therefore, distribution has gained particular importance “as the owners of networks and content aggregators increasingly assert themselves as key players in negotiating power and ability to influence consumer and browsing behavior”.
  • 1.3K
  • 05 Dec 2023
Topic Review
AI Applications in Dental Diagnostics and Cephalometric Analysis
Artificial intelligence (AI) describes the ability of machines to perform tasks that are classified as intelligent. AI can be classified into two main categories: symbolic AI and machine learning (ML). Symbolic AI involves structuring an algorithm in a way that is easily understandable to humans. Machine learning (ML) is the predominant paradigm in the field of AI. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine has transformed various medical specialties, including orthodontics. AI has shown promising results in enhancing the accuracy of diagnoses, treatment planning, and predicting treatment outcomes. Its usage in orthodontic practices worldwide has increased with the availability of various AI applications and tools.
  • 1.3K
  • 17 Jan 2024
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Performance Gaps and Sustainable Materials
Real-world energy efficiency in the building sector is currently inadequate due to significant discrepancies between predicted and actual building energy performance. As operational energy is optimized through improved building envelopes, embodied energy typically increases, further exacerbating the problem. This gap underscores the critical need to re-evaluate current practices and materials used in energy-efficient building construction. It is well established that adopting a life cycle view of energy efficiency is essential to mitigate the building sector’s contribution to rising global energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Therefore, this study aims to examine existing research on sustainable building materials for life cycle energy efficiency. Specifically, it reviews recent research to identify key trends, challenges, and suggestions from tested novel materials. A combination of theoretical analysis and narrative synthesis is employed in a four-stage framework discussing the challenges, context, concepts, and the reviewed literature. Key trends include the growing adoption of sustainable materials, such as bio-fabricated and 3D printed materials, which offer improved insulation, thermal regulation, and energy management capabilities. Multifunctional materials with self-healing properties are also emerging as promising solutions for reducing energy loss and enhancing building durability. The focus on reusing materials from the agricultural, food production, and paper manufacturing industries in building construction highlights the opportunity to facilitate a circular economy. However, the challenges are substantial, with more research required to ascertain long-term performance, show opportunities to scale the implementation of these novel materials, and drive market acceptance.
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Sep 2024
Topic Review
Immune Cells and Cytokine in Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury
Acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP), a commonly used antipyretic analgesic, is becoming increasingly toxic to the liver, resulting in a high rate of acute hepatic failure in Europe and the United States. Excessive APAP metabolism in the liver develops an APAP–protein adduct, which causes oxidative stress, MPTP opening, and hepatic necrosis. HMGB-1, HSP, nDNA, mtDNA, uric acid, and ATP are DMAPs released during hepatic necrosis. DMAPs attach to TLR4-expressing immune cells such KCs, macrophages, and NK cells, activating them and causing them to secrete cytokines. Immune cells and their secreted cytokines have been demonstrated to have a dual function in acetaminophen-induced liver injury (AILI), with a role in either proinflammation or pro-regeneration, resulting in contradicting findings and some research confusion. Neutrophils, KCs, MoMFs, NK/NKT cells, γδT cells, DCs, and inflammasomes have pivotal roles in AILI.
  • 1.3K
  • 27 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Black Widow Spider Tubuliform Silk
Spider silk is a high-performance fiber renowned for its extraordinary mechanical properties, rivaling steel, Kevlar, and a wide range of other natural and manmade materials.
  • 1.3K
  • 09 Sep 2021
Topic Review
IoT
This entry presents the problems of powering wireless sensor networks operating in the structures of the Internet of Things (IoT). This issue was discussed on the example of a universal end node in IoT technology containing RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. The basic methods of signal transmission in these types of networks are discussed and their impact on the basic requirements such as range, transmission speed, low energy consumption, and the maximum number of devices that can simultaneously operate in the network. The issue of low power consumption of devices used in IoT solutions is one of the main research objects. The analysis of possible communication protocols has shown that there is a possibility of effective optimization in this area. The wide range of power sources available on the market, used in nodes of wireless sensor networks, was compared. The alternative possibilities of powering the network nodes from Energy Harvesting (EH) generators are presented.
  • 1.3K
  • 25 May 2021
Topic Review
Food Insecurity and Obesity
An interesting paradox is observed in terms of access to proper nutrition in the United States and in much of the world. In the United States, as much as 40% of the total food resources generated is wasted, while simultaneously, 5.6 million households exhibit disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake due to financial or other access-related issues. The disrupted eating patterns and improper nutrition can lead to increased risk of diet-related disease onset especially for chronic diseases such as heart disease, Obesity, hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The discussion herein focuses on the inter-relationship among the following factors: access to proper nutrition, obesity, T2DM, and food waste.
  • 1.3K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Aberrant BMP2 Signaling
The most common bone disease in humans is osteoporosis (OP). Current therapeutics targeting OP have several negative side effects. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is a potent growth factor that is known to activate both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. It completes these actions through both SMAD-dependent and SMAD-independent signaling. A novel interaction between the BMP type Ia receptor (BMPRIa) and casein kinase II (CK2) was discovered, and several CK2 phosphorylation sites were identified. A corresponding blocking peptide (named CK2.3) was designed to further elucidate the phosphorylation site’s function. Previously, CK2.3 demonstrated an increased osteoblast activity and decreased osteoclast activity in a variety of animal models, cell lines, and isolated human osteoblasts. It is hypothesized that CK2.3 completes these actions through the BMP signaling pathway. Furthermore, it was recently discovered that BMP2 did not elicit an osteogenic response in osteoblasts from patients diagnosed with OP, while CK2.3 did.
  • 1.3K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Aptamer-Sensors for Quantification of AFB1
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most frequently-found mycotoxins in contaminated food. As the content of mycotoxins is particularly low in food, the development of probes to detect AFB1 in foods with high sensitivity and selectivity is an urgent social need for the evaluation of food quality. Numerous techniques have been developed to monitor AFB1. Nevertheless, most of them require cumbersome, labor-consuming, and sophisticated instruments, which have limited their application. An aptamer is a single, short nucleic acid sequence that is capable of recognizing different targets. Owing to their unique properties, aptamers have been considered as alternatives to antibodies. Aptasensors are considered to be an emerging strategy for the quantification of aflatoxin B1 with high selectivity and sensitivity. 
  • 1.3K
  • 19 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Determining GnRH/LH Pulsatility Using Aptamers
Aptamers are a novel technology enabling the continuous measurement of analytes in blood and other body compartments, without the need for repeated sampling and the associated reagent costs of traditional antibody-based methodologies. Aptamers are short single-stranded synthetic RNA or DNA that recognise and bind to specific targets. The conformational changes that can occur upon aptamer-ligand binding are transformed into chemical, fluorescent, color changes and other readouts. Aptamers have been developed to detect and measure a variety of targets in vitro and in vivo. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a pulsatile hypothalamic hormone, that is essential for normal fertility but difficult to measure in the peripheral circulation. However, pulsatile GnRH release results in pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) release from the pituitary gland. As such, LH pulsatility is the clinical gold standard method to determine GnRH pulsatility in humans. Aptamers have recently been shown to successfully bind to and measure GnRH and LH and this review focuses on this specific area. However, due to the adaptability of aptamers, and their suitability for incorporation into portable devices, aptamer-based technology is likely to be used more widely in the future. 
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Green Tea Catechins
Green tea and green tea catechins have been shown to be strongly inhibitory to cancer formation in rodents. They are believed to do this by altering cells after they have been initiated on the path toward cancer. Green tea and green tea catechin prevention of cancer in humans has been hard to detect. We discuss that the reason for this difference is likely to be the digestive tract microbiome. If green tea catechins are to be continue to be tested for cancer prevention properties in humans it will be necessary to take into account variable digestive tract microbiome metabolism in people so the dose can be optimized for each person thus avoiding toxicity. 
  • 1.3K
  • 03 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Polyphenols Nano Formulations
Polyphenols are phytochemical with potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities which are tremendously of important to fight premature aging, infections, cancers and other related chronic inflammatory diseases. Nanoencapsulation of these natural and functional biocompounds is useful to increase the bioavailability and efficiency of polyphenols, which can be further used as adjuvant therapeutics.
  • 1.3K
  • 26 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Fullerenes
Buckyball clusters or buckyballs, also known as endohedral fullerenes, include fullerenes, buckminsterfullerene, and C60, which are composed of fewer than 300 carbon atoms.
  • 1.3K
  • 13 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Beta-Blockers and Cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. After diagnosis, cancer treatment may involve radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Several of the approaches used to treat cancer also attack normal cells and, thus, there is the need for more effective treatments that decrease the toxicity to normal cells and increase the success rates of treatment. The use of beta-blockers in cancer has been studied for their antagonist action on the adrenergic system through inhibition of beta-adrenergic receptors. Besides regulating processes such as blood pressure, heart rate, and airway strength or reactivity, beta-blockers block mechanisms that trigger tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and tumor metastasis.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 May 2021
Topic Review
Functionalized Mesoporous Thin Films
Functionalized thin films of mesoporous silica and titania can be used as scaffolds with properties as diverse as promotion of cell growth, inhibition of biofilms formation, or development of sensors based on immobilized enzymes. The possibility to pattern them increase their appeal as they can be incorporated into devices and can be tailored both with respect to architecture and functionalization. In fact, selective surface manipulation is the ground for the fabrication of advanced micro devices that combine standard micro/nanofluids with functional materials.
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Forensic Entomology and Space
The dynamics of forensic insects can operate at many spatial scales, manifest in different spatial patterns, and be attributed to multiple different causes. This highlights the importance for forensic entomology to consider spatial effects despite its neglect to date. Forensic entomology has much to benefit from the use of spatial statistics because many important questions, both at the fundamental and practical levels, require a spatial solution.
  • 1.3K
  • 25 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Cellulosic-Based Conductive Hydrogels for Electro-Active Tissues
The use of hydrogel in tissue engineering is not entirely new. In the last six decades, researchers have used hydrogel to develop artificial organs and tissue for the diagnosis of real-life problems and research purposes. Trial and error dominated the first forty years of tissue generation. Nowadays, biomaterials research is constantly progressing in the direction of new materials with expanded capabilities to better meet the current needs.
  • 1.3K
  • 14 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Definition of Hypertension and Establishment of Treatment Targets
Hypertension is the most frequent chronic and non-communicable disease all over the world, with about 1.5 billion affected individuals worldwide. Its impact is currently growing, particularly in low-income countries. Even in high-income countries, hypertension remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated, with consequent low rates of blood pressure (BP) control.
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Cell Signaling Pathways and Radioresistance of Cancer Cells
Radiation eradicates cancer cells mainly by causing DNA damage. However, radiation also concomitantly activates multiple prosurvival signaling pathways, which include those mediated by ATM, ATR, AKT, ERK, and NF-κB that promote DNA damage checkpoint activation/DNA repair, autophagy induction, and/or inhibition of apoptosis. Furthermore, emerging data support the role of YAP signaling in promoting the intrinsic radioresistance of cancer cells, which occurs through its activation of the transcription of many essential genes that support cell survival, DNA repair, proliferation, and the stemness of cancer stem cells. Together, these signaling pathways protect cancer cells by reducing the magnitude of radiation-induced cytotoxicity and promoting radioresistance. 
  • 1.3K
  • 24 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Gap Junctions in Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most common type of clinical cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and contributes to substantial morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic burden. Aggregating evidence highlights the strong genetic basis of AF. In addition to chromosomal abnormalities, pathogenic mutations in over 50 genes have been causally linked to AF, of which the majority encode ion channels, cardiac structural proteins, transcription factors and gap junction channels. In the heart, gap junctions comprised of connexins (Cxs) form intercellular pathways responsible for electrical coupling and rapid coordinated action potential propagation between adjacent cardiomyocytes. Among the 21 isoforms of connexins already identified in the mammal genomes, 5 isoforms (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, Cx45 and Cx46) are expressed in human heart. Abnormal electrical coupling between cardiomyocytes caused by structural remodeling of gap junction channels (alterations in connexin distribution and protein levels) has been associated with enhanced susceptibility to AF and recent studies have revealed multiple causative mutations or polymorphisms in 4 isoforms of connexins predisposing to AF.
  • 1.3K
  • 11 Apr 2022
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