Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Security and Privacy of Technologies in HISs
Health information systems (HISs) have immense value for healthcare institutions, as they provide secure storage, efficient retrieval, insightful analysis, seamless exchange, and collaborative sharing of patient health information. HISs are implemented to meet patient needs, as well as to ensure the security and privacy of medical data, including confidentiality, integrity, and availability, which are necessary to achieve high-quality healthcare services.
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Feb 2024
Topic Review
HVCN1 Channels Related Sperm Motility
In mammals, sperm capacitation is characterized by a set of physiological changes preparing the male gamete for fertilization, being the intracellular alkalinization a key event. Changes in intracellular pH (pHi) during capacitation are induced by different channels, including HCO3- membrane transporters, Na+-H+ exchangers (NHEs), monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) and voltage-gated proton channels (HVCN1). HVCN1 channels belong to the superfamily of voltage-gated cation channels; they drive protons more quickly and efficiently than transporters or exchangers do and lead them unidirectionally to the extracellular medium. HVCN1 channels have been identified in human, bull and boar sperm, forming dimers of a molecular weight of 70-73 kDa; however, their action and regulation mechanisms are poorly understood.A recent study has focused on the physiological role of HVCN1 channels during in vitro capacitation using the pig sperm as a model. This functional approach was carried out pharmacologically through using 2-guanidino benzimidazole (2-GBI), a specific blocker of HVCN1 channels. Sperm samples were incubated in in vitro capacitating medium for 300 min; after 240 min of incubation, progesterone was added to induce sperm hyperactivation and acrosomal exocytosis. To address the physiological role of HVCN1 channels during in vitro capacitation of pig sperm, some samples were incubated in the presence of 2-GBI blocker added at time 0 (Experiment 1). Moreover, and in order to understand the functional relationship between progesterone and HVCN1 channels, 2-GBI blocker was added together with progesterone at 240 min of incubation, in a second group of samples (Experiment 2). Sperm viability, sperm motility and kinematics, acrosomal exocytosis, membrane lipid disorder, intracellular calcium levels of the sperm head and tail, and mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated after 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 250, 270 and 300 min of incubation.The results obtained showed that HVCN1 channels are essential for the maintenance of viability, motility and kinematics of pig sperm during in vitro capacitation and progesterone-induced acrosomal exocytosis. While a close relationship between HVCN1 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential was observed, HVCN1 channels were not found to be involved in the regulation of Ca2+ influx to the sperm tail. Despite further research being necessary, HVCN1 activation could also modulate Ca2+ entrance to the sperm head and prevent premature acrosomal exocytosis during in vitro capacitation of pig sperm.
  • 1.1K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
MIECs for Food Safety and Drug Detection
Due to their advantages of good flexibility, low cost, simple operations, and small equipment size, electrochemical sensors have been commonly employed in food safety. However, when they are applied to detect various food or drug samples, their stability and specificity can be greatly influenced by the complex matrix. By combining electrochemical sensors with molecular imprinting techniques (MIT), they will be endowed with new functions of specific recognition and separation, which make them powerful tools in analytical fields. MIT-based electrochemical sensors (MIECs) require preparing or modifying molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) on the electrode surface. MIECs behave promisingly in applications in food and drug safety detection.
  • 1.1K
  • 06 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Oxidative-Stress-Responsive MicroRNAs in Heart Injury
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important molecules in the living organisms as a part of many signaling pathways. However, if overproduced, they also play a significant role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, ischemia/reperfusion injury (e. g. myocardial infarction, heart transplantation), and heart failure. As a result of oxidative stress action, apoptosis, hypertrophy, and fibrosis may occur. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent important endogenous nucleotides that regulate many biological processes including those involved in a heart damage by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can alter the expression level of many miRNAs. These changes in miRNA expression occur mainly via modulation of Nrf2, sirtuins, NFAT/calcineurin, or NF-κB pathways. Up to now, several circulating miRNAs have been reported to be potential biomarkers of ROS-related cardiac diseases including myocardial infarction, hypertrophy, ischemia/reperfusion, and heart failure, such as miRNA-499, miRNA-199, miRNA-21, miRNA-144, miRNA-208a, miRNA-34a, etc. On the other hand, a lot of studies are aimed at using miRNAs for therapeutic purposes. This review points to the need for studying the role of redox-sensitive miRNAs to identify more effective biomarkers and develop better therapeutic targets for oxidative stress-related heart diseases.
  • 1.1K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Post-exercise Cardiac Troponin T Factors
Intensive and prolonged exercise leads to a rise of troponin concentration in blood. The mechanism responsible for troponin release during exercise remains ill-defined. The study aim was to search for risk factors of troponin increase after a prolonged endurance competition. Methods: The study included a group of 18 amateurs, healthy volunteers (median age 41.5 years, interquartile range – IQR 36–53 years, 83% male) who participated in a 100 km running ultra-marathon. Information on demographic characteristics, pre- and post-race heart rate, blood pressure, body composition and glucose, lactate (L), troponin T (hs-TnT) and C reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration were obtained. Additionally, data on L and glucose levels every 9.2 km and fluid/food intakes during the race were collected. Results: There was a significant hs-TnT increase after the race exceeding upper reference values in 66% of runners (from 5 IQR 3–7 ng/L to 14 IQR 12–26 ng/L, p < 0.0001). None of the baseline parameters predicted a post-race hs-TnT increase. The only factors, correlating with changes of hs-TnT were mean L concentration during the race (rho = 0.52, p = 0.03) and change of hs-CRP concentration (rho = 0.59, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Participation in a 100 km ultra-marathon leads to a modest, but significant hs-TnT increase in the majority of runners. Among analysed parameters only mean lactate concentration during the race and change in hs-CRP correlated with troponin change.
  • 1.1K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Common Rust in Maize Germplasm
To dissect the genetic architecture of Common rust (CR) resistance caused by Puccina sorghi in maize, we applied association mapping, in conjunction with linkage mapping, joint linkage association mapping (JLAM), and genomic prediction (GP) was conducted on an association-mapping panel and five F3 biparental populations using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyses revealed 14 significant marker-trait associations which individually explained 6–10% of the total phenotypic variances. Individual population-based linkage analysis revealed 26 QTLs associated with CR resistance and together explained 14–40% of the total phenotypic variances. JLAM for the 921 F3 families from five populations detected 18 QTLs distributed in all chromosomes except on chromosome 8. These QTLs individually explained 0.3 to 3.1% and together explained 45% of the total phenotypic variance. Among the 18 QTL detected through JLAM, six QTLs, qCR1-78, qCR1-227, qCR3-172, qCR3-186, qCR4-171, and qCR7-137 were also detected in linkage mapping. GP within population revealed low to moderate correlations with a range from 0.19 to 0.51. Prediction correlation was high with r = 0.78 for combined analysis of the five F3 populations. Prediction of biparental populations by using association panel as training set reveals positive correlations ranging from 0.05 to 0.22, which encourages to develop an independent but related population as a training set which can be used to predict diverse but related populations. The findings of this study provide valuable information on understanding the genetic basis of CR resistance and the obtained information can be used for developing functional molecular markers for marker-assisted selection and for implementing GP to improve CR resistance in tropical maize.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Glycogen Storage Disease Type 0
Glycogen storage disease type 0 (also known as GSD 0) is a condition caused by the body's inability to form a complex sugar called glycogen, which is a major source of stored energy in the body. GSD 0 has two types: in muscle GSD 0, glycogen formation in the muscles is impaired, and in liver GSD 0, glycogen formation in the liver is impaired.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Achondroplasia
Achondroplasia is a form of short-limbed dwarfism. The word achondroplasia literally means "without cartilage formation." Cartilage is a tough but flexible tissue that makes up much of the skeleton during early development. However, in achondroplasia the problem is not in forming cartilage but in converting it to bone (a process called ossification), particularly in the long bones of the arms and legs. Achondroplasia is similar to another skeletal disorder called hypochondroplasia, but the features of achondroplasia tend to be more severe.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Adipocytokines
Adipocytokines are hormonally active molecules that are believed to play a key role in the regulation of crucial biological processes in the human body.
  • 1.1K
  • 24 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Older Adult Fall Prevention
Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or non-intentional deaths worldwide and are the most common problem as people age. The primary purpose of addressing falls is to detect, prevent, treat, and reduce their incidence and consequences. Previous studies identified that multifactorial programs, an interprofessional team, and assistive technology are required to address falls in older adults effectively. Accordingly, the research question is as follows: what are the scope, type of studies, and approaches and strategies to fall risk using technology in the existing occupational therapy literature regarding interventions to address the effects of falls in older adults on daily living? 
  • 1.1K
  • 31 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Perinatal Infection
Perinatal infection seems to limit the neuroprotective efficacy of therapeutic hypothermia. Efforts made to use therapeutic hypothermia in LMICs treating NE has led to increased neonatal mortality rates. The heat shock and cold shock protein responses are essential for survival against a wide range of stressors during which organisms raise their core body temperature and temporarily subject themselves to thermal and cold stress in the face of infection. The characteristic increase and decrease in core body temperature activates and utilizes elements of the heat shock and cold shock response pathways to modify cytokine and chemokine gene expression, cellular signaling, and immune cell mobilization to sites of inflammation, infection, and injury. Hypothermia stimulates microglia to secret cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP), which triggers NF-κB, controlling multiple inflammatory pathways, including nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) signaling. Brain responses through changes in heat shock protein and cold shock protein transcription and gene-expression following fever range and hyperthermia may be new promising potential therapeutic targets. 
  • 1.1K
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Hybrid Materials Based on Polyhydroxyalkanoates
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) constitute a family of biopolyesters that are synthesized and accumulate within the cellular structure of prokaryotic cells by bacteria, and they act as carbon and energy reserve materials under conditions of limited nutrient, such as nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous or magnesium. As naturally derived materials, PHAs have been used for multiple cell and tissue engineering applications; however, their widespread biomedical applications are limited due to their lack of toughness, elasticity, hydrophilicity and bioactivity. To overcome this challenge combination of PHA with different polymers and inorganic materials are used to form hybrid composites with improved structural and functional properties.
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Patient Safety Culture in Norwegian-Hospitals
Patient safety culture consists of the attitudes and routines among healthcare personnel and management that impact patient treatment. A positive patient safety culture includes a focus on establishing systems, routines, resources, and infrastructure to reduce risks and errors. Studies indicate an association between a positive patient safety culture and safe patient treatment.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
The effectiveness of Convolutional Neural Networks in image recognition motivates the researchers to extend its applications in the field of agriculture for recognition of plant species, yield management, weed detection, soil, and water management, fruit counting, diseases, and pest detection, evaluating the nutrient status of plants, and much more. The availability of voluminous research works in applying deep learning models in agriculture leads to difficulty in selecting a suitable model according to the type of dataset and experimental environment. In this manuscript, the authors present a survey of the existing literature in applying deep Convolutional Neural Networks to predict plant diseases from leaf images.
  • 1.1K
  • 10 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Wool Characteristics Variationacross of Alpacas in Poland
The quality of the fibers obtained from alpacas is primarily determined by the mean fiber diameter (MFD) and the presence of medullas. The staple length and crimping are also important. These parameters depend on many genetic and phenotypic factors, such as age, sex, and the color of the coat.Alpaca wool is luxurious and, hence, arouses great interest among consumers. However, the drawbacks of this wool are its variation in thickness and the proportion of medullated fibers. Knowing about variations in the quality characteristics of the wool on an animal’s body can help in properly evaluating and using this wool.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Wearable Functional Textiles
Wearable E-textile systems should be comfortable so that highest efficiency of their functionality can be achieved. The development of electronic textiles (functional textiles) as a wearable technology for various applications has intensified the use of flexible wearable functional textiles instead of wearable electronics. However, the wearable functional textiles still bring comfort complications during wear. The purpose of this review paper is to sightsee and recap recent developments in the field of functional textile comfort evaluation systems. For textile-based materials which have close contact to the skin, clothing comfort is a fundamental necessity.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Nov 2021
Topic Review
A Breakthrough Brought about by Targeting KRASG12C
KRAS is the most frequently mutated member of the RAS family, present in 96% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), 52% of colorectal, 32% of lung carcinomas, and to a lesser extent in a variety of other cancers, with alterations mostly occurring at codon G12, G13, and Q61.  
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma
Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare malignancy, with a rising incidence in recent decades, and accounts for roughly 40% of all cancers of the small bowel. The majority of SBAs arise in the duodenum and are associated with a dismal prognosis. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for localized disease, while systemic treatments parallel those used in colorectal cancer (CRC), both in the adjuvant and palliative setting. In fact, owing to the lack of prospective data supporting its optimal management, SBA has historically been treated in the same way as CRC.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Online Pharmacies Selling Prescription Drugs
Almost half of the online pharmacies are not properly regulated and fraudulent issues were uncovered. To address this issue, stricter regulation by World Health Organization and implementation should be carried out together with frequent monitoring of the licensure system and pharmacy verification on every online pharmacy, this would reduce the number of illegal or illegitimate online pharmacy. 
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Developing Indoor Temperature Profiles of Albanian Homes
Oversimplifying occupant behaviour using static and standard schedules has been identified as a limitation of building energy simulation tools. Three statistically different profiles were developed for each summer and winter, indicating that homes are used in different ways, as well as revealing possible comfort requirements. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of children and the clusters in winter, suggesting that families with dependents use more energy. Building-related factors including building type, building age, and wall insulation were found to be statistically significantly associated with clusters in summer. 
  • 1.1K
  • 08 Jun 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 2729
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback