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Topic Review
Treatment of Rett Syndrome
Currently there is no cure for Rett syndrome. Treatment is directed towards improving function and addressing symptoms throughout life. A multi-disciplinary team approach is typically used to treat the person throughout life. This team may include primary care physician, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, nutritionist, and support services in academic and occupational settings. Treatment of Rett syndrome includes: Because of the increased risk of sudden cardiac death, when long QT syndrome is found on an annual screening EKG it is treated with an anti-arrhythmic such as a beta-blocker. There is some evidence that phenytoin may be more effective than a beta-blocker.
  • 1.2K
  • 19 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy
Despite significant advances in cancer therapy, its complex pathological process still represents a major health challenge when seeking effective treatment and improved healthcare. With the advent of nanotechnologies, nanomedicine-based cancer therapy has been widely explored as a promising technology able to handle the requirements of the clinical sector. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have been at the forefront of nanotechnology development since the mid-1990s, thanks to their former role as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. Though their use as MRI probes has been discontinued due to an unfavorable cost/benefit ratio, several innovative applications as therapeutic tools have prompted a renewal of interest. The unique characteristics of SPION, i.e., their magnetic properties enabling specific response when submitted to high frequency (magnetic hyperthermia) or low frequency (magneto-mechanical therapy) alternating magnetic field, and their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (either intrinsically or when activated using various stimuli), make them particularly adapted for cancer therapy.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Photocatalysis for Water Purification
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the aquatic environment have garnered a lot of attention during the past few years. Due to their toxic behavior, which interferes with endocrine functions in both humans and aquatic species, these types of compounds have been recognized as major polluting agents in wastewater effluents. Therefore, the development of efficient and sustainable removal methods for these emerging contaminants is essential. Photocatalytic removal of emerging contaminants using silver carbonate (Ag2CO3)-based photocatalyst is a promising process due to the unique characteristics of this catalyst, such as absorption of a larger fraction of the solar spectrum, wide band gap, non-toxicity, and low cost. The photocatalytic performance of Ag2CO3 has recently been improved through the doping of elements and optimization variation of operational parameters resulting in decreasing the rate of electron–hole pair recombination and an increase in the semiconductor’s excitation state efficiency, which enables the degradation of contaminants under UV or visible light exposure. This entry summarized some of the relevant investigations related to Ag2CO3-based photocatalytic materials for EDC removal from water. The inclusion of Ag2CO3-based photocatalytic materials in the water recovery procedure suggests that the creation of a cutting-edge protocol is essential for successfully eliminating EDCs from the ecosystem.
  • 1.2K
  • 24 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Role of Hexokinases in Metabolic Reprogramming
The role of hexokinases in metabolic reprogramming in cancer is multifaceted and pivotal for the altered metabolic phenotype observed in cancer cells. Hexokinases, a group of enzymes responsible for catalyzing the first step of glycolysis, play a critical role in regulating glucose metabolism in cancer cells. In cancer, hexokinases are upregulated and exhibit distinct isoform preferences. Hexokinases facilitate the Warburg effect, a hallmark metabolic alteration in cancer cells characterized by increased glycolysis and decreased oxidative phosphorylation by promoting high glucose consumption and ATP production. Furthermore, hexokinases also participate in other metabolic pathways, such as the pentose phosphate pathway and mitochondrial metabolism, contributing to the rewiring of cancer cell metabolism. The overexpression of hexokinases in cancer cells supports the high bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of rapidly proliferating cells and confers survival advantages by modulating cellular redox status and apoptosis. The dysregulation of hexokinases in cancer cells presents a promising target for cancer therapy. Understanding their role in metabolic reprogramming provides crucial insights into cancer metabolism and potential therapeutic strategies.
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Tools for Optimization of Biomass-to-Energy Conversion Processes
Biomasses are renewable sources used in energy conversion processes to obtain diverse products through different technologies. The production chain, which involves delivery, logistics, pre-treatment, storage and conversion as general components, can be costly and uncertain due to inherent variability. Optimization methods are widely applied for modeling the biomass supply chain (BSC) for energy processes. 
  • 1.2K
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
Impact of Digital Capabilities on Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is one of the most significant business changes to prompt societal changes, thus altering old patterns of human activity, behavior, communication, and everyday routines. These changes have often been called dramatic because they entailed a transformation in present business structures and strategies for achieving a competitive advantage under new circumstances. Private companies are typically more agile in terms of digital transformation, but public companies are under pressure to follow digitalization trends in the delivery of their services, resulting in broader changes dispersed throughout society. The impact of digitization is readily apparent in the improvement of business processes or their complete transformation, the acceleration of operations, new requirements for employee training, the creation of a completely new job design with new job descriptions that incorporate digital skills, and the replacement of human labor with machines, which are all outcomes of workforce reduction. Success or failure in the era of digitalization depends largely on how human capital is managed, which is also due to the increasing interest for human–machine interaction. In addition to technical concerns and their solutions, the Industry 4.0 revolution demands employees who are creative, inventive, competent, and prepared to face challenges in the digital world.
  • 1.2K
  • 16 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Mechanisms of Epigenetic Regulation Response to Plant Stress
Plant stress is a significant challenge that affects the development, growth, and productivity of plants and causes an adverse environmental condition that disrupts normal physiological processes and hampers plant survival. Epigenetic regulation is a crucial mechanism for plants to respond and adapt to stress.
  • 1.2K
  • 10 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Proneural-Mesenchymal Transition
Glioblastoma (GBM) is an extremely aggressive tumor of the central nervous system, with a prognosis of 12–15 months and just 3–5% of survival over 5 years. This is mainly because most patients suffer recurrence after treatment that currently consists in maximal resection followed by radio- and chemotherapy with temozolomide. GBM has been classified into four molecular subgroups namely proneural, neural, classical and mesenchymal. The recurrent tumor shows a more aggressive behavior due to a phenotypic shift from the proneural toward the mesenchymal subtype. Proneural-mesenchymal transition (PMT) may represent for GBM the equivalent of epithelial–mesenchymal transition associated with aggressive carcinomas. 
  • 1.2K
  • 14 Dec 2021
Topic Review
PD-1/PD-L1 Therapy in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by an enhanced activation of the immune system, which predispose the evolution to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Resident macrophages and leukocytes exert a key role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. In particular, CD4+ effector T cells are activated during the early stages of liver inflammation and are followed by the increase of natural killer T cells and of CD8+ T cytotoxic lymphocytes which contribute to auto-aggressive tissue damage. To counteract T cells activation, programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PDL-1 are exposed respectively on lymphocytes and liver cells’ surface and can be targeted for therapy by using specific monoclonal antibodies, such as of Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab and Atezolizumab.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Plant Defense Mechanisms against Drought Stress
Drought, the most significant environmental stressor, severely limits plant growth and development and significantly reduces crop production. Drought stress responses vary among plants, allowing them to withstand and survive adverse conditions. Plants resist drought by maintaining signaling pathways, such as the abscisic acid pathway, and activating unusual proteins, such as dehydrins.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Novel Respirovirus in Alpine Chamois
The Alpine chamois is a free-living wild ruminant distributed across the mountainous areas of France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. This wide distribution favours interactions with other wild ruminants and livestock, implying the risk of cross-transmission of pathogens. Due to the impact of lung diseases on chamois populations, the investigation of respiratory pathogens is important for wildlife conservation and for the understanding of infection transmission at the livestock–wildlife interface. A novel respirovirus was isolated from a chamois with lung lesions in Italian Alps. The genome characterization of this novel virus revealed similarities to domestic ruminant respiroviruses, mainly of caprine and ovine origin. Overall, phylogenetic analyses indicated that the chamois virus is distinct from already defined species and suggested that it is a putative novel member of the genus Respirovirus. The present investigation contributes to the knowledge of respiratory infections in wild ruminants and raises questions on the epidemiological link between chamois and other animal species.
  • 1.2K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Psychogastroenterology
Psychogastroenterology focuses on how psychosocial factors play a role in gut diseases. Psychogastroenterologists are clinicians, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, who work in integrative or multidisciplinary care of patients with gastrointestinal disorders. The role of this field has been ranging from suggested prevention, a cure, to a Band-Aid for gut disorders.
  • 1.2K
  • 07 Sep 2020
Topic Review
HNSCC
Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer that arises from particular cells called squamous cells. Squamous cells are found in the outer layer of skin and in the mucous membranes, which are the moist tissues that line body cavities such as the airways and intestines. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) develops in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat.
  • 1.2K
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Agriculture
In this study, a sustainable perspective of the use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or drone technology in the agriculture sector is discussed. For this purpose, the types of cameras (multispectral, thermal, and visible), sensors, software, and platforms frequently deployed for ensuring precision agriculture for crop monitoring, disease detection, or even yield estimation are briefly discoursed.
  • 1.2K
  • 31 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Alternative Splicing of hTERT
Alternative splicing (AS) of human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase) pre-mRNA strongly regulates telomerase activity. Several proteins can regulate AS in a cell type-specific manner and determine the functions of cells. In addition to being involved in telomerase activity regulation, AS provides cells with different splice variants that may have alternative biological activities. The modulation of telomerase activity through the induction of hTERT AS is involved in the development of different cancer types and embryos, and the differentiation of stem cells. Regulatory T cells may suppress the proliferation of target human and murine T and B lymphocytes and NK cells in a contact-independent manner involving activation of TERT AS. 
  • 1.2K
  • 18 May 2021
Topic Review
Metabolic Engineering for FA Production
Metabolic engineering is a cutting-edge field that aims to produce simple, readily available, and inexpensive biomolecules by applying different genetic engineering and molecular biology techniques. Fatty acids (FAs) play an important role in determining the physicochemical properties of membrane lipids and are precursors of biofuels. Microbial production of FAs and FA-derived biofuels has several advantages in terms of sustainability and cost. Conventional yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the models used for FA synthesis. Several genetic manipulations have been performed to enhance the citrate accumulation and its conversation into acetyl-CoA, a precursor for FA synthesis. Success has been achieved in producing different chemicals, including FAs and their derivatives, through metabolic engineering.
  • 1.2K
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Machine Learning Approaches in SCRM
Machine learning (ML) has already been implemented within the supply chain risk management (SCRM) field, both in theory and in practice. The applied examples relate primarily to the early identification of production, transport, and supply risks in order to counteract potential supply chain problems quickly. Through the analyzed case studies, we were able to identify the added value that ML integration can bring to the SCRM.
  • 1.2K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Endophytic Fungi Biosynthesize Important Therapeutic Drugs
In general, microbes produce a collection of secondary metabolites with therapeutic activities. Many are used as anticancer, immunosuppressive, hypocholesterolemic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory agents, or as enzyme inhibitors. Indeed, endophytic fungi have become a treasure trove for bioactive compounds of medicinal and agricultural importance. Several endophytic fungi produce important therapeutic drugs, initially discovered in traditional medicinal plants; for example, paclitaxel, podophyllotoxin, Vinca alkaloids, camptothecin, and fusidic acid.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Glomerular Diseases
Glomerular disease is a disease of glomerular inflammation caused by immune-mediated damage to capillary endothelium, mesangium, or basement membrane. The clinical presentations of glomerular disease are diverse. Patients may have asymptomatic microscopic or gross hematuria and often develop proteinuria and even the severe as nephrotic syndrome.
  • 1.2K
  • 31 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Financial Shocks and Financial Resilience of Australian Households
Based on a national survey conducted by Australian Bureau of Statistics in December 2020, during COVID-19, financial shocks continued to hit low-income households and one parent family with dependent children the hardest. The lowest income households had to forfeit a week’s worth of income on a less expensive shock but then three times of weekly income to absorb a more expensive shock. The overall households also had a low rate in seeking financial information, counselling or advice from a professional.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Apr 2022
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