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Topic Review
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia
Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, of which pernicious anemia (PA) is a type, is a disease in which not enough red blood cells are produced due to a deficiency of vitamin B12. The most common initial symptom is feeling tiredness and weakness. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, pale skin, feeling like one may pass out (lightheadedness), chest pain, rapid heartbeat, numbness in the hands and feet, poor balance, a frequent fall of blood pressure, loss of appetite, a smooth red tongue, memory problems, poor reflexes, and in severe cases even depression and confusion. Without treatment some of these problems may become permanent. Pernicious anemia refers to anemia that results from lack of vitamin B12. Lack of intrinsic factor is most commonly due to an autoimmune attack on the cells that create it in the stomach. It can also occur following the surgical removal of part of the stomach or from an inherited disorder. Other causes of low vitamin B12 include not enough dietary intake (which can be a risk in a vegan diet), celiac disease, or tapeworm infection. When suspected, diagnosis is made by blood and, occasionally, bone marrow tests. Blood tests may show fewer but larger red blood cells, low numbers of young red blood cells, low levels of vitamin B12, and antibodies to intrinsic factor. Pernicious anemia can be treated with injections of vitamin B12. If the symptoms are severe, injections are typically recommended initially. For those who have trouble swallowing pills, a nasal spray is available. Often, treatment is lifelong. Pernicious anemia due to autoimmune problems occurs in about one per 1000 people. Among those over the age of 60, about 2% have the condition. It more commonly affects people of northern European descent. Women are more commonly affected than men. With proper treatment, most people live normal lives. Due to a higher risk of stomach cancer, those with pernicious anemia should be checked regularly for this. The first clear description was by Thomas Addison in 1849. The term "pernicious" means "deadly", and this term came into use because before the availability of treatment the disease was often fatal.
  • 3.3K
  • 27 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Benzo[a]pyrene
Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is the main representative of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and has been repeatedly found in the air, surface water, soil, and sediments.
  • 3.3K
  • 21 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Phenolic Antioxidants and Human Health
Consumers increasingly prefer and seek food and beverages, which, due to their natural characteristics, bring health benefits, both in the prevention of diseases and in their curative power. In this way, the production of nutraceutical foods and beverages gains more and more importance in the market. On the other hand, and because the eyes also eat, producing attractive foods due to their color, texture, appearance, and sensory characteristics is a permanent challenge in the food industry. Being able to gather healthy and attractive items in a single food is an even greater challenge. The long list of benefits associated with phenolic compounds, such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiaging properties, among others, fully justifies their use in the enrichment of various food products. 
  • 3.3K
  • 14 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Positive Role of Nanofertilizers on Crop Production
On the basis of the myriad benefits of nanotechnology in agriculture, nanofertilizers (or nanonutrients) have become promising tools for agricultural sustainability. Nanofertilizers are also the proper solution to overcoming the environmental and health problems that can result from conventional fertilizers. The role of nanofertilizers has increased, especially under different environmental stresses, which can include individual, combined, and multiple stresses. The stresses are most commonly the result of nature; however, studies are still needed on the different stress levels. Nanofertilizers can play a crucial role in supporting cultivated plants under stress and in improving the plant yield, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
  • 3.3K
  • 25 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Sunscreens and UV Protection
Excessive UV (ultraviolet) radiation exposure is harmful to skin cells since sunburn is accompanied by oxidative burst, leading to a rapid increase in skin cancer. However, the insufficient UV photoprotection of approved sunscreens and the negative impact of their compositions on ecosystems and human health makes the utility of sunscreen a questionable recommendation. Therefore, discovering UV filters with significant antioxidant activity and improved topical performance and photostability is an urgent need.
  • 3.3K
  • 17 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Biomass Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis process has been considered to be an efficient approach for valorization of lignocellulosic biomass into bio-oil and value-added chemicals. Bio-oil refers to biomass pyrolysis liquid, which contains alkanes, aromatic compounds, phenol derivatives, and small amounts of ketone, ester, ether, amine, and alcohol. Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable and sustainable energy resource for carbon that is readily available in the environment. This review article provides an outline of the pyrolysis process including pretreatment of biomass, pyrolysis mechanism, and process products upgrading. The pretreatment processes for biomass are reviewed including physical and chemical processes. In addition, the gaps in research and recommendations for improving the pretreatment processes are highlighted. Furthermore, the effect of feedstock characterization, operating parameters, and types of biomass on the performance of the pyrolysis process are explained. Recent progress in the identification of the mechanism of the pyrolysis process is addressed with some recommendations for future work. In addition, the article critically provides insight into process upgrading via several approaches specifically using catalytic upgrading. In spite of the current catalytic achievements of catalytic pyrolysis for providing high-quality bio-oil, the production yield has simultaneously dropped. This article explains the current drawbacks of catalytic approaches while suggesting alternative methodologies that could possibly improve the deoxygenation of bio-oil while maintaining high production yield.
  • 3.3K
  • 21 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Potential Energy of Protein
In the context of chemistry and molecular modelling, a force field is a computational method that is used to estimate the forces between atoms within molecules and also between molecules. More precisely, the force field refers to the functional form and parameter sets used to calculate the potential energy of a system of atoms or coarse-grained particles in molecular mechanics, molecular dynamics, or Monte Carlo simulations. The parameters for a chosen energy function may be derived from experiments in physics and chemistry, calculations in quantum mechanics, or both. Force fields are interatomic potentials and utilize the same concept as force fields in classical physics, with the difference that the force field parameters in chemistry describe the energy landscape, from which the acting forces on every particle are derived as a gradient of the potential energy with respect to the particle coordinates. All-atom force fields provide parameters for every type of atom in a system, including hydrogen, while united-atom interatomic potentials treat the hydrogen and carbon atoms in methyl groups and methylene bridges as one interaction center. Coarse-grained potentials, which are often used in long-time simulations of macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and multi-component complexes, sacrifice chemical details for higher computing efficiency.
  • 3.2K
  • 23 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Fabrication Processes of Conductive Textiles
Wearable electronics are gaining popularity as a platform for the next generation of human-friendly electronic devices. Therefore, a new class of devices with various functionality and amenability for the human body is essential. Traditional textile materials, such as fiber, yarn, and fabric, are non-conductive. Innovative methods and novel processing technologies have been introduced to impart conductivity in textile materials to solve this issue. Coating, printing, deposition, and in situ polymerization are common techniques for this purpose. Here, the newly developed methods with significant potential are summarized, which includes their conductivity level in different applications, such as batteries, displays, and sensors.
  • 3.2K
  • 04 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Acquired Cytomegalovirus Infection Hearing Loss
Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection induces a clinical syndrome usually associated with hearing loss. However, the effect of acquired CVM infection in adults and children has not been clearly defined.
  • 3.2K
  • 28 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Important Pathogens in Poultry Production
The presence of a wide variety of microorganisms is surveilled in several food producing animals due to their importance to public health, namely in broilers and laying hens. The pathogens most relevant in this industry, and associated with antimicrobial drug resistance, include Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter spp. (specially C. jejuni), Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
  • 3.2K
  • 23 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Glass Ionomer Cement
The glass ionomer cement (GIC) is a translucent, water-based cement invented in 1972 by Wilson and Kent.
  • 3.2K
  • 30 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Digital Marketing Utilization Index in Digital Marketing Capability
The digital marketing utilization index (DMUI) measures an organization’s ability to utilize digital marketing to create value for the company through the utilization of the readiness of the innovation ecosystem, digital marketing technology, and digital transformation.
  • 3.2K
  • 06 Sep 2022
Topic Review
ESG in the Banking Sector
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is currently one of the main focus areas for policy makers worldwide.
  • 3.2K
  • 06 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Classification and Biosynthesis of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are mainly found in plant cell vacuoles in the form of C-glycosides or O-glycosides. The basic molecular structure of flavonoids depends upon their basic C6–C3–C6 skeleton. Flavonoids are classified into seven subclasses based on modifications to their basic skeletons; these subclasses include flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, flavonols, chalcones, flavanols, and anthocyanins.
  • 3.2K
  • 04 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Data Ownership in Healthcare
This section briefly discusses this issue of data ownership in the light of recent privacy laws. These laws have a very large impact on the topic of data sharing. It shows that these privacy laws provide rights to the patient, but they do not necessarily make clear who is the owner of the data. They only provide a legal framework for the handling of the data.
  • 3.2K
  • 05 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Carbon Emission Intensity
The definition of Carbon Emission Intensity (CEI) according to the INDCs is "the amount of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP". As defined, CEI is an emission reduction indicator that takes into account environmental protection and economic development, which has important reference significance for the emission reduction work of developing countries.
  • 3.2K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Cloned Goats
The Cloned Goats or Transgenic Cloned Goats are generated and/or multiplied by one the most advanced and widely applied assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) designated as somatic cell cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The SCNT-derived goats can provide a valuable tool for a variety of transgenic, biomedical, biopharmaceutical and nutri-biotechnological research.
  • 3.2K
  • 21 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Chemical Modifications of Aptamers
Aptamers are short single-stranded RNA or DNA oligonucleotides capable of folding into complex 3D structures, enabling them to bind to a large variety of targets ranging from small ions to an entire organism. Their high binding specificity and affinity make them comparable to antibodies, but they are superior regarding a longer shelf life, simple production and chemical modification, in addition to low toxicity and immunogenicity.
  • 3.2K
  • 03 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Cladistics
Cladistics (/kləˈdɪstɪks/; from grc κλάδος (kládos) 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is typically shared derived characteristics (synapomorphies) that are not present in more distant groups and ancestors. However, from an empirical perspective, common ancestors are inferences based on a cladistic hypothesis of relationships of taxa whose character states can be observed. Theoretically, a last common ancestor and all its descendants constitute a (minimal) clade. Importantly, all descendants stay in their overarching ancestral clade. For example, if the terms worms or fishes were used within a strict cladistic framework, these terms would include humans. Many of these terms are normally used paraphyletically, outside of cladistics, e.g. as a 'grade', which are fruitless to precisely delineate, especially when including extinct species. Radiation results in the generation of new subclades by bifurcation, but in practice sexual hybridization may blur very closely related groupings. As a hypothesis, a clade can only be rejected if some groupings were explicitly excluded. It may then be found that the excluded group did actually descend from the last common ancestor of the group, and thus emerged within the group. ("Evolved from" is misleading, because in cladistics all descendants stay in the ancestral group). Upon finding that the group is paraphyletic this way, either such excluded groups should be granted to the clade, or the group should be abolished. Testifying to human focus, bias and perhaps exceptionalism, humans have never been placed in a paraphyletic group, whereas most other organisms have been. Branches down to the divergence to the next significant (e.g. extant) sister are considered stem-groupings of the clade, but in principle each level stands on its own, to be assigned a unique name. For a fully bifurcated tree, adding a group to a tree also adds an additional (named) clade, and potentially a new level. Specifically, also extinct groups are always put on a side-branch, not distinguishing whether an actual ancestor of other groupings was found. The techniques and nomenclature of cladistics have been applied to disciplines other than biology. (See phylogenetic nomenclature.) Cladistics findings are posing a difficulty for taxonomy, where the rank and (genus-)naming of established groupings may turn out to be inconsistent. Cladistics is now the most commonly used method to classify organisms.
  • 3.2K
  • 19 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Raisins
Raisins are dried grapes consumed worldwide that contain beneficial components for human health. They are rich in fiber and phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds. Despite a 60% sugar content, several studies have reported health-promoting properties for raisins and this review compiles the intervention studies, as well as the cell line and animal model studies carried out to date. It has been demonstrated that raisins possess a low-to-moderate glycemic index, which makes them a healthy snack. They seem to contribute to a better diet quality and may reduce appetite. Their antioxidant capacity has been correlated to the phenolic content and this may be involved in the improvement of cardiovascular health. In addition, raisins maintain a good oral health due to their antibacterial activity, low adherence to teeth and an optimum oral pH. Raisin consumption also seems to be favorable for colon function, although more studies should be done to conclude this benefit. Moreover, gut microbiota could be affected by the prebiotic content of raisins. Cell line and animal model studies show other potential benefits in specific diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. However, deeper research is required and future intervention studies with humans are needed. Overall, incorporating an 80–90 g portion of raisins (half a cup) into the daily diet may be favorable for human health.
  • 3.2K
  • 29 Oct 2020
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