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Topic Review
β-Endorphin
β-Endorphins are peptides that exert a wide variety of effects throughout the body. Produced through the cleavage pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), β-endorphins are the primarily agonist of mu opioid receptors, which can be found throughout the body, brain, and cells of the immune system that regulate a diverse set of systems. As an agonist of the body’s opioid receptors, β-endorphins are most noted for their potent analgesic effects, but they also have their involvement in reward-centric and homeostasis-restoring behaviors, among other effects. These effects have implicated the peptide in psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, making it a research target of interest.
  • 2.9K
  • 16 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Sleeping Beauty Transposon System
Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a transposon system that has been widely used as a genetic engineering tool. Central to the development of any transposon as a research tool is the ability to integrate a foreign piece of DNA into the cellular genome. Driven by the need for efficient transposon-based gene vector systems, extensive studies have largely elucidated the molecular actors and actions taking place during SB transposition. Close transposon relatives and other recombination enzymes, including retroviral integrases, have served as useful models to infer functional information relevant to SB. Recently obtained structural data on the SB transposase enable a direct insight into the workings of this enzyme. These efforts cumulatively allowed the development of novel variants of SB that offer advanced possibilities for genetic engineering due to their hyperactivity, integration deficiency, or targeting capacity. However, many aspects of the process of transposition remain poorly understood and require further investigation. We anticipate that continued investigations into the structure–function relationships of SB transposition will enable the development of new generations of transposition-based vector systems, thereby facilitating the use of SB in preclinical studies and clinical trials.
  • 2.9K
  • 27 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Gas Hydrate Technology
Innovating methods for treating industrial wastewater containing heavy metals frequently incorporate toxicity-reduction technologies to keep up with regulatory requirements. This research reviews the latest advances, benefits, opportunities and drawbacks of several heavy metal removal treatment systems for industrial wastewater in detail. The conventional physicochemical techniques used in heavy metal removal processes with their advantages and limitations are evaluated. A particular focus is given to innovative gas hydrate-based separation of heavy metals from industrial effluent with their comparison, advantages and limitations in the direction of commercialization as well as prospective remedies. Clathrate hydrate-based removal is a potential technology for the treatment of metal-contaminated wastewater. In this research, a complete assessment of the literature is addressed based on removal efficiency, enrichment factor and water recovery, utilizing the gas hydrate approach. It is shown that gas hydrate-based treatment technology may be the way of the future for water management purposes, as the industrial treated water may be utilized for process industries, watering, irrigation and be safe to drink. 
  • 2.9K
  • 15 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Biofuel
A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through contemporary processes from biomass, rather than a fuel produced by the very slow geological processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. Since biomass technically can be used as a fuel directly (e.g. wood logs), some people use the terms biomass and biofuel interchangeably. More often than not, however, the word biomass simply denotes the biological raw material the fuel is made of, or some form of thermally/chemically altered solid end product, like torrefied pellets or briquettes. The word biofuel is usually reserved for liquid or gaseous fuels, used for transportation. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) follows this naming practice. If the biomass used in the production of biofuel can regrow quickly, the fuel is generally considered to be a form of renewable energy. Biofuels can be produced from plants (i.e. energy crops), or from agricultural, commercial, domestic, and/or industrial wastes (if the waste has a biological origin). Renewable biofuels generally involve contemporary carbon fixation, such as those that occur in plants or microalgae through the process of photosynthesis. Some argue that biofuel can be carbon-neutral because all biomass crops sequester carbon to a certain extent – basically all crops move CO2 from above-ground circulation to below-ground storage in the roots and the surrounding soil. For instance, McCalmont et al. found below-ground carbon accumulation ranging from 0.42 to 3.8 tonnes per hectare per year for soils below Miscanthus x giganteus energy crops, with a mean accumulation rate of 1.84 tonne (0.74 tonnes per acre per year), or 20% of total harvested carbon per year. However, the simple proposal that biofuel is carbon-neutral almost by definition has been superseded by the more nuanced proposal that for a particular biofuel project to be carbon neutral, the total carbon sequestered by the energy crop's root system must compensate for all the above-ground emissions (related to this particular biofuel project). This includes any emissions caused by direct or indirect land use change. Many first generation biofuel projects are not carbon neutral given these demands. Some have even higher total GHG emissions than some fossil based alternatives. Some are carbon neutral or even negative, though, especially perennial crops. The amount of carbon sequestrated and the amount of GHG (greenhouse gases) emitted will determine if the total GHG life cycle cost of a biofuel project is positive, neutral or negative. A carbon negative life cycle is possible if the total below-ground carbon accumulation more than compensates for the total life-cycle GHG emissions above ground. In other words, to achieve carbon neutrality yields should be high and emissions should be low. High-yielding energy crops are thus prime candidates for carbon neutrality. The graphic on the right displays two CO2 negative Miscanthus x giganteus production pathways, represented in gram CO2-equivalents per megajoule. The yellow diamonds represent mean values. Further, successful sequestration is dependent on planting sites, as the best soils for sequestration are those that are currently low in carbon. The varied results displayed in the graph highlights this fact. For the UK, successful sequestration is expected for arable land over most of England and Wales, with unsuccessful sequestration expected in parts of Scotland, due to already carbon rich soils (existing woodland) plus lower yields. Soils already rich in carbon includes peatland and mature forest. Grassland can also be carbon rich, and Milner et al. argue that the most successful carbon sequestration in the UK takes place below improved grasslands. The bottom graphic displays the estimated yield necessary to compensate for related lifecycle GHG-emissions. The higher the yield, the more likely CO2 negativity becomes. The two most common types of biofuel are bioethanol and biodiesel. Bioethanol is an alcohol made by fermentation, mostly from carbohydrates produced in sugar or starch crops such as corn, sugarcane, or sweet sorghum. Cellulosic biomass, derived from non-food sources, such as trees and grasses, is also being developed as a feedstock for ethanol production. Ethanol can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form (E100), but it is usually used as a gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle emissions. Bioethanol is widely used in the United States and in Brazil. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe. It can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form (B100), but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. In 2018, worldwide biofuel production reached 152 billion liters (40 billion gallons US), up 7% from 2017, and biofuels provided 3% of the world's fuels for road transport. The International Energy Agency want biofuels to meet more than a quarter of world demand for transportation fuels by 2050, in order to reduce dependency on petroleum. However, the production and consumption of biofuels are not on track to meet the IEA's sustainable development scenario. From 2020 to 2030 global biofuel output has to increase by 10% each year to reach IEA's goal. Only 3% growth annually is expected. Here are some various social, economic, environmental and technical issues relating to biofuels production and use, which have been debated in the popular media and scientific journals.
  • 2.9K
  • 12 Oct 2022
Biography
Nikolay Yegorovich Zhukovsky
Nikolay Yegorovich Zhukovsky[1] (Russian: Никола́й Его́рович Жуко́вский; January 17 [O.S. January 5] 1847 – March 17, 1921) was a Russia n scientist, mathematician and engineer, and a founding father of modern aero- and hydrodynamics. Whereas contemporary scientists scoffed at the idea of human flight, Zhukovsky was the first to undertake the study of airflow. He
  • 2.9K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Decomposition Characteristics of Iron Ore during Smelting Reduction
Against the background of low global carbonization, blast furnace ironmaking technology with coking puts huge amounts of pressure on the global steel industry to save energy and reduce emissions due to its high pollution levels and high energy consumption. Bath smelting reduction technology is globally favored and studied by metallurgists as a non-blast furnace ironmaking technology that directly reduces iron ore into liquid metal without using coke as the raw material. The smelting reduction reaction of iron ore, which is the core reaction of the process, is greatly significant to its productivity and energy saving. 
  • 2.9K
  • 23 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Emblica officinalis for the Treatment of Hyperlipidemia
The ayurvedic herb Emblica officinalis (E. officinalis) is a gift to mankind to acquire a healthy lifestyle. It has great therapeutic and nutritional importance. Emblica officinalis, also known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family. Amla is beneficial for treating illnesses in all its forms. The most crucial component is a fruit, which is also the most common. It is used frequently in Indian medicine as a restorative, diuretic, liver tonic, refrigerant, stomachic, laxative, antipyretic, hair tonic, ulcer preventive, and for the common cold and fever. Hyperlipidemia is also known as high cholesterol or an increase in one or more lipid-containing blood proteins. Various phytocompounds, including polyphenols, vitamins, amino acids, fixed oils, and flavonoids, are present in the various parts of E. officinalis. E. officinalis has been linked to a variety of pharmacological effects in earlier studies, including hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, radioprotective, and hyperlipidemic effects.
  • 2.9K
  • 10 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, functioning in conjunction with creatine kinase to play a quintessential role in both cellular energy provision and intracellular energy shuttling. An extensive body of literature solidifies the ergogenic benefits gained following dietary creatine supplementation; however, recent findings have further indicated a potential therapeutic role for creatine in several pathologies such as myopathies, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disturbances, chronic kidney disease and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, creatine has been found to exhibit non-energy-related properties, such as serving as a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Despite the therapeutic success of creatine supplementation in varying clinical populations, there is scarce information regarding the potential application of creatine for combatting the current leading cause of mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD). Taking into consideration the broad ergogenic and non-energy-related actions of creatine, it could be hypothesize that creatine supplementation may be a potential therapeutic strategy for improving vascular health in at-risk populations such as older adults or those with CVD. This entry gives a short background on creatine, its cellular function and metabolism, in addition to the pleiotropic applications of creatine within just a few clinical populations. Furthermore, this entry concludes by eluding to the potential in which creatine may possess to benefit vascular health and to combat the pathology the underlies CVD.  
  • 2.9K
  • 28 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Pressure Wave Supercharger
One main direction in improving the efficiency of an internal combustion engine, together with lowering the emissions, is supercharging, i.e., creating a considerable amount of boost for the inlet combustion air. Turbochargers are the most commonly used for this task, but another advantageous alternative exploiting the energy within exhaust gases is the pressure wave supercharger (PWS).
  • 2.9K
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
“Singing” Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors and Mitigation Methods
Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) have a major role in modern electronic devices due to their small price and size, large range of capacitance, small ESL and ESR, and good frequency response. Unfortunately, the main dielectric material used for MLCCs, Barium Titanate, makes the capacitors vibrate due to the piezoelectric and electrostrictive effects. This vibration is transferred to the PCB, making it resonate in the audible range of 20 Hz–20 kHz, and in this way the singing capacitors phenomenon occurs. This phenomenon is usually measured with a microphone, to measure the sound pressure level, or with a Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV), to measure the vibration. Besides this, other methods are mentioned in the literature, for example, the optical fiber and the active excitation method. There are several solutions to attenuate or even eliminate the acoustic noise caused by MLCC. Specially designed capacitors for low acoustic levels and different layout geometries are only two options found in the literature. To prevent the singing capacitor phenomenon, different simulations can be performed, the harmonic analysis being the most popular technique. 
  • 2.9K
  • 06 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Dynamic Light Scattering and Its Applications
Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is a widely utilized technique in many scientific and industrial sectors where the distribution of particle size and behavior of particles in solutions is crucial. Having the capacity to measure particle size and distribution, besides measuring zeta potential and some other colloidal properties, such as molecular weight, makes DLS a practical device for various applications.
  • 2.9K
  • 03 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Alternative Aviation Fuels/Pathways
The Paris Agreement’s objectives related to climate change put aviation under great pressure and environmental inspection. In particular, the aviation industry is committed to achieving a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. A shift to alternative aviation fuels seems imperative. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified the production of drop-in sustainable liquid fuels (SAFs) as the most promising strategy, at least short term, to reduce the environmental impact of the sector.
  • 2.9K
  • 03 Mar 2023
Topic Review
GIS and IoT Integration
Internet-of-Things (IoT) concentrates on enabling communication between Things. It is a broadband network that uses standard communication protocols. Geospatial Information System (GIS) is a powerful set of tools that deal with capturing geospatial data, managing that data in a database, analyzing and pattern recognition, and finally visualizing information. IoT, as an emerging technology along with GIS, can result in advanced and user-friendly features in Smart Cities.
  • 2.9K
  • 17 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Development of Electrostatic Microactuators
Operation with micrometric size objects requires a change in the entire paradigm in manipulation equipment and particularly in the field of related actuators. Microactuators have low energy efficiency compared to the devices of macroscale. The dimensions of these drives are so small that standard kinematic arrangement is not applicable. On the other hand, the small size allows the use of lower mechanical parameters materials due to the dimensional limits of the micromechanisms. With the development of the biological industry, these actuators became a key for living cell positioning, high-speed microscopy, and other micro-scale technologies. New emerging transducer materials such as magnetic nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, expandable micro-spheres, and conductive polymers can be used for the design of micro-scale sensors and actuators. Despite the used materials, the surface effects and inter-molecular interactions are important in micro-scale; in nanoscale, these phenomena become essential. Micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMSs/NEMSs) with electrostatic drives have fast response, are power efficient, and fit well for micro- and nanopositioning. Drive operating voltage, response speed, operating stroke, generated force, and the accumulated amount of energy define these actuators’ application area. The electrostatic actuators suffer from the pull-in phenomenon (loss of the equilibrium between attractive and repulsive forces), limiting their performance. This limitation could be overcome by developing actuators based on repulsive force or electrostatic levitation.
  • 2.9K
  • 26 Aug 2022
Topic Review
3D-Printed Satellite Brackets
Brackets are the load-bearing components in a satellite. The current age of satellites comprises specific brackets that set out as a link between the bodies of the satellite, reflector parts, and feeder facilities mounted at its upper end. Brackets are used to carry loads of the satellite body frame, supporting elements, batteries, and electronic goods. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a process in which a 3D solid object is built by adding the material layer-over-layer. The success of making the product using AM technology requires greater experience in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) which makes use of the design of freedom of AM. Owing to the various advantages of AM and DFAM, it is easy to create high strength-to-weight ratio products. This is an important contribution to aerospace industries in meeting the unabated demand for lightweight and strong structural applications.
  • 2.9K
  • 09 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Free Basics
Internet.org is a partnership between social networking services company Facebook and six companies (Samsung, Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera Software, Nokia and Qualcomm) that plans to bring affordable access to selected Internet services to less developed countries by increasing efficiency, and facilitating the development of new business models around the provision of Internet access. The app delivering these services was renamed Free Basics in September 2015. As of November 2016, 40 million people are using internet.org. It has been criticized for violating net neutrality, and by handpicking internet services that are included, for discriminating against companies not in the list, including Facebook's rivals. In February 2016, regulators banned the Free Basics service in India based on "Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations". The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) accused Facebook of failing to pass on the four questions in the regulator's consultation paper and also blocking access to TRAI's designated email for feedback on Free Basics. On February 11, 2016, Facebook withdrew the Free Basics platform from India.
  • 2.9K
  • 24 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Gel Fuels Preparation
Gel fuels can become an alternative energy resource within the framework of the implementation of the program for developments in rocket and space technology. These propellants combine the advantages of solid and liquid rocket propellants, of which the main ones are related to safety aspects, energy efficiency and storage. The components range and gel fuels compositions are diverse, so the method of their preparation in each specific case can be quite different, especially when using thickeners of various origins.
  • 2.9K
  • 10 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Cryptography: From Ancient Secrets to Modern Encryption
This research explores the fascinating history of cryptography from its earliest origins to the modern era of digital encryption. It covers the development of various encryption methods throughout history, including substitution and transposition ciphers, the Enigma machine, and the birth of modern cryptography in the computer age. The research also discusses the breakthroughs in public key cryptography and emerging technologies such as quantum cryptography. Additionally, it highlights the pioneers in the field, including Alan Turing and Claude Shannon, and provides advice for those seeking to become experts in cryptography. Despite ongoing debates over encryption and privacy, cryptography remains an essential tool for protecting sensitive information and ensuring the privacy of individuals and organizations around the world.
  • 2.9K
  • 22 May 2023
Topic Review
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional silicon-based solar cells due to their relatively high conversion efficiency, low cost, flexibility, and environmentally benign fabrication processes.
  • 2.9K
  • 25 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Non-Thermal Food Processing and Preservation
Non-thermal food processing refers to methods where the food materials receive microbiological inactivation without the direct application of heat. Such technologies, largely combined with hurdle technology to replace those conventional thermal food processing ones, are increasingly viewed as either emerging, novel, or new food processing methods. Such novel technologies have included pulsed electric fields (PEF), high-pressure processing (HPP), ozone treatment, pulsed light, non-thermal plasma/cold plasma (NTP), and ultrasound technology. The technologies can be grouped into two major groups: physical processes (pulse electric field, high-pressure processing, ultraviolet radiation, pulsed light, ultrasound, and ionizing radiation) and chemical processes (ozone treatment, and cold plasma).
  • 2.9K
  • 23 Jun 2021
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