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Topic Review
The Livability of Open Public Spaces during Nighttime
The transformations of contemporary life are reflected not only in the way people use open public spaces but also in the time people use them—nighttime activities are becoming more frequent. High daytime temperatures in certain periods of the year, during the summer and other seasons, discourage the development of outdoor activities in open public spaces during daytime. The urban heat island impact of pollution has significantly reduced the quality of living conditions in cities for daily outdoor activities. On the other hand, the hectic contemporary lifestyle in an urban context creates a lack of free time during the day, because leisure is compatible with working hours, where the focus on working during the day reduces the possibility of free time . These restrictions have changed the patterns of human behavior in urban environments, shifting the focus of free time to nighttime. The livability of open public spaces in an urban context is determined by usage and the frequency, duration, and activities of users. People’s activities in public spaces, according to Jan Gehl, can be divided into three types: necessary, optional, and social behaviors. According to him, the physical environment and spatial features of the area play an important role when engaging in outdoor activities, except for the necessary behaviors (including going to school, going to work, shopping, etc.).
  • 2.5K
  • 28 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Modification of Hyaluronic Acid to Improve Functionality
Native hyaluronic acid (HA) has found a broad range of applications in areas such as ophthalmology and cosmetics due to its unique physicochemical characteristics. However, this endogenous polymer is readily degraded in the body by the enzyme, hyaluronidase. The rate of degradation of native HA stifles its applicability to bioengineering applications or those which require a longer residence time in the body. To enable expansion of the applications of this polysaccharide, it can be modified to allow for cross-linking and engineering, to tailor the degradation profile in vivo, improve cell attachment, and enable conjugation. The relatively simple structure of HA allows for ease of modification of its two main functional groups- the hydroxyl and the carboxyl groups. Additionally, further synthetic modifications may be performed following the deacetylation of the acetamide group, which can allow for the recovery of amino functionalities. Regardless of the functional group to be modified, there are two options for modification; crosslinking or conjugation.
  • 2.5K
  • 13 Sep 2022
Topic Review
AI in the Field of Surfactants
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the field of surfactants to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of surfactant production and applications. One of the main applications of AI in surfactants is in the design and development of new surfactant molecules. By using machine learning algorithms and computational modeling, researchers can predict the properties and behavior of new surfactants before they are synthesized, reducing the time and cost required for research and development. AI is also being used to optimize surfactant production processes, by analyzing large amounts of data generated during production and identifying areas for improvement. For example, AI can be used to optimize surfactant synthesis conditions, such as temperature and pressure, to improve yield and reduce waste. In addition, AI is being used to develop predictive models for surfactant performance in specific applications, such as in the production of emulsions, foams, and coatings. By understanding the relationship between surfactant properties and application performance, researchers can design more effective and sustainable surfactant formulations.
  • 2.5K
  • 24 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Thermogenesis
Thermogenesis is an energy demanding process by which endotherms produce heat to maintain their body temperature in response to cold exposure. Mitochondria in the brown and beige adipocytes play a key role in thermogenesis, as the site for uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which allows for the diffusion of protons through the mitochondrial inner membrane to produce heat. 
  • 2.5K
  • 23 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Conservation Science (Cultural Heritage)
With respect to cultural heritage, conservation science is the interdisciplinary study of the conservation of art, architecture, technical art history and other cultural works through the use of scientific inquiry. General areas of research include the technology and structure of artistic and historic works. In other words, the materials and techniques from which cultural, artistic and historic objects are made. There are three broad categories of conservation science with respect to cultural heritage: 1) understanding the materials and techniques used by artists, 2) study of the causes of deterioration, and 3) improving methods/techniques and materials for examination and treatment. Conservation science includes aspects of chemistry, physics and biology, engineering, as well as art history and anthropology. Institutions such as the Getty Conservation Institute specialize in publishing and disseminating information relating to both tools used for and outcomes of conservation science research, as well as recent discoveries in the field.
  • 2.5K
  • 16 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Subsistence Farming of Smallholder Agroforestry Systems in Indonesia
Subsistence farming is defined as self-sufficient farming in which farmers focus on cultivating sufficient quantities of food for their families. However, there are still many cases of poverty among farmers due to a lack of ability to adopt advanced technology. Small land tenure, low literacy rates, and lack of forest maintenance are the main causes of the subsistence of small agroforestry farmers. Another reason is that subsistence-oriented agroforestry practices are considered a strong form of smallholder resilience. To reduce the subsistence level of farmers, government intervention is needed, especially in providing managerial assistance packages, capital assistance, and the marketing of forest products. 
  • 2.5K
  • 20 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Chromium Deficiency
Chromium deficiency is described as the consequence of an insufficient dietary intake of the mineral chromium. Chromium was first proposed as an essential element for normal glucose metabolism in 1959, and was widely accepted as being such by the 1990s. Cases of deficiency were described in people who received all of their nutrition intravenously for long periods of time. The essentiality of chromium has been challenged. Whereas the authorities in the European Union do not recognize chromium as an essential nutrient, those in the United States do, and identify an adequate intake for adults as between 25 and 45 μg/day, depending on age and sex. Dietary supplements containing chromium are widely available in the United States, with claims for benefits for fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1C and weight loss. Reviews report the changes as modest, and without scientific consensus that the changes have a clinically relevant impact.
  • 2.5K
  • 11 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Biosensors for Malaria Biomarkers
This entry discusses recent advances in the development of biosensors for the purposes of malaria diagnostics. It underscore relevant challenges that have defined the gap between biosensor development and their successful utilization in routine clinical practice within resource-limitted settings. It proposes a way to think about developing biosensors that are suitable for biomedical diagnostics applications.
  • 2.5K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Mutagens Applied to Microalgae for Random Mutagenesis
Microalgal biomass and metabolites can be used as a renewable source of nutrition, pharmaceuticals and energy to maintain or improve the quality of human life. Microalgae’s high volumetric productivity and low impact on the environment make them a promising raw material in terms of both ecology and economics. To optimize biotechnological processes with microalgae, improving the productivity and robustness of the cell factories is a major step towards economically viable bioprocesses. The success of a random mutagenesis approach using microalgae is determined by multiple factors involving the treatment of the cells before, during and after the mutagenesis procedure. Using photosynthetic microalgae, the supply of light quality and quantity, as well as the supply of carbon and nitrogen, are the most important factors. Besides the environmental conditions, the type of mutagen, its concentration and exposure time are among the main factors affecting the mutation result.
  • 2.5K
  • 01 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Dietary Intervention of Chronic Diseases in Menopause
Menopause is associated with an increased prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and osteoporosis. These diseases and unfavorable laboratory values, which are characteristic of this period in women, can be significantly improved by eliminating and reducing dietary risk factors. Changing dietary habits during perimenopause is most effectively achieved through nutrition counseling and intervention. To reduce the risk factors of all these diseases, and in the case of an already existing disease, dietary therapy led by a dietitian should be an integral part of the treatment. 
  • 2.5K
  • 29 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Environmentally Sustainable Initiatives in Sport
Environmentally Sustainable Initiatives in Sport (ESIS) are all the initiatives that sport organisations conceptualize, plan, execute, and report concerning the environmental dimension. As one element of the triple bottom line (TBL) dimension (social, environmental and economic) these environmental sustainable initiatives go far beyond the typical cost-cutting objective. The achievement, communication, and awareness of ESIS are an effective economic and social asset for sports organizations, their stakeholders and society at general.
  • 2.5K
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
The Mechanism-Based Inactivation of CYP3A4 by Ritonavir
Ritonavir is the most potent cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitor in clinical use and is often applied as a booster for drugs with low oral bioavailability due to CYP3A4-mediated biotransformation, as in the treatment of HIV (e.g., lopinavir/ritonavir) and more recently COVID-19 (Paxlovid or nirmatrelvir/ritonavir). Ritonavir is clearly a potent mechanism-based inactivator, which irreversibly blocks CYP3A4. 
  • 2.5K
  • 19 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Research on Meditation
For the purpose of this article, research on meditation concerns research into the psychological and physiological effects of meditation using the scientific method. In recent years, these studies have increasingly involved the use of modern scientific techniques and instruments, such as fMRI and EEG which are able to directly observe brain physiology and neural activity in living subjects, either during the act of meditation itself, or before and after a meditation effort, thus allowing linkages to be established between meditative practice and changes in brain structure or function. Since the 1950s hundreds of studies on meditation have been conducted, but many of the early studies were flawed and thus yielded unreliable results. Contemporary studies have attempted to address many of these flaws with the hope of guiding current research into a more fruitful path. In 2013, researchers at Johns Hopkins, publishing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, identified 47 studies that qualify as well-designed and therefore reliable. Based on these studies, they concluded that there is moderate evidence that meditation reduces anxiety, depression, and pain, but no evidence that meditation is more effective than active treatment (drugs, exercise, other behavioral therapies). A 2017 commentary was similarly mixed. The process of meditation, as well as its effects, is a growing subfield of neurological research. Modern scientific techniques and instruments, such as fMRI and EEG, have been used to study how regular meditation affects individuals by measuring brain and bodily changes.
  • 2.5K
  • 16 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Piezo-Photocatalysis
Piezocatalysis is a technique that relies on the conversion of mechanical energy to trigger chemical reactions that can be utilized to catalyze the degradation of pollutants in water. By combining piezoelectric materials with photocatalytic materials, the built-in electric field generated by the piezoelectric effect promotes the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers, thereby enhancing the efficiency, selectivity, and stability of photocatalytic reactions.
  • 2.5K
  • 07 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Inverse Design for Silicon Photonics
Silicon photonics enables massive fabrication of integrated photonic devices at low cost, due to its compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. It has emerged as one of the most important technologies for data communication and computations, as integrated electronic circuits are reaching their limits as well as incurring high energy costs. Recently, it has also shown the potential for other applications such as sensing and light detection and ranging (LiDAR). For miscellaneous silicon photonic devices, their versatile functions mainly come from design of device geometry. Intuitively, the design of single component with specific function is fulfilled by physics-based methods like analytical models, prior practical experiences and scientific intuitions. However, the physics-based methods are laborious and have high requirements on designers’ experience. Furthermore, the performance evaluation of light-material interaction with complicated geometries has to rely on numerical electromagnetic (EM) simulations, as the computation for irregular geometry is often non-intuitive. To make the design process more efficient, inverse design approaches have been introduced, which are assisted by various iterative optimization methods and deep neural networks (DNNs).
  • 2.5K
  • 11 May 2021
Topic Review
Remediation of Textile-Dye-Containing Wastewater
Water makes up most of the Earth, although just 0.3% is usable for people and animals. The huge oceans, icecaps, and other non-potable water resources make up the remaining 99.7%. Water quality has declined due to pollution from population growth, industry, unplanned urbanization, and poor water management. The textile industry has significant global importance, although it also stands as a major contributor to wastewater generation, leading to water depletion and ecotoxicity. This issue arises from the extensive utilization of harmful chemicals, notably dyes.
  • 2.5K
  • 09 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Evolutionary Theory of the Self
When trying to understand the self in terms of the brain, neuroscientists have found contradictory results and paradoxes. Nevertheless, Gonzalo Munevar has argued that neuroscience in an evolutionary context can give a proper explanation of the self. His Evolutionary Theory of the Self depends on, “the ability by the brain to coordinate new sensory information in light of the organism’s internal states and in the context of its personal history and genetic inheritance." His theory is an alternative conception for the explanation of the self, which takes into account the evolutionary biology of the brain. Organisms that are highly complex execute the function of telling self from other with the brain and the immune system. To fulfill the function of recognizing self from other, the brain uses past experiences and genetic inheritance (e.g. survival, reproduction). The self is defined by these functions that distinguish an organisms from other organisms, which allow them to act as one whole entity in social and physical environments. Simply put, the theory revolves around the idea that the brain constitutes the self, which represents itself in a variety of internal states. The brain/self evolves for action to be able to interact with social and physical environments. It is suggested that the brain performs a complex list of tasks to complete these interactions to distinguish self from other. This defines the brain to be characteristically distributive to complete complex tasks, and thus suggests that the self is also distributive. Therefore, the Evolutionary Theory of the Self detours from the traditional conceptions that include the self being a centralized, unitary mechanism that is both conscious (sense of self) and compiled of a collection of episodic memories. Alternatively, it suggests that the conception of self is mostly unconscious, and the brain evolves from past experiences and genetic inheritance to create the evolutionary self. In Munevar’s study, “fMRI Study of Self vs. Others’ Attributions of Traits Consistent with Evolutionary Understanding of the Self,” he aimed to demonstrate the experimental feasibility of this conception of the self as a distributive system, and discovered results complimenting the Evolutionary Theory of the Self while resolving the contradictions and paradoxes of traditional conceptions of self.
  • 2.5K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Cobalt Catalysts for CO2 Reduction
Cobalt catalysts are very important due to their extensive applications in many industrial processes, such as Fisher–Tropsh synthesis and CO2 conversion. Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a promising strategy due to its easy operating system, simple constructions, operational at neutral pH, ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, and low energy utilization to produce valuable chemicals and fuels such as formic acid, methane, ethanol, and carbon using renewable electricity. Therefore, CO2RR coupling with renewable energy sources can effectively achieve a carbon-neutral energy cycle and hydrocarbon products with high activity, stability, and selectivity.
  • 2.5K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Envy-free Item Allocation
Envy-free (EF) item allocation is a fair item allocation problem, in which the fairness criterion is envy-freeness - each agent should receive a bundle that they believe to be at least as good as the bundle of any other agent.:296–297 Since the items are indivisible, an EF assignment may not exist. The simplest case is when there is a single item and at least two agents: if the item is assigned to one agent, the other will envy. Therefore, the division procedures provide various kinds of relaxations.
  • 2.5K
  • 21 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Smart Healthcare Using ML and Cognitive Radio Technologies
The rapid technological advancements in the modern world bring the attention of researchers to fast and real-time healthcare and monitoring systems. Smart healthcare is one of the best choices for this purpose, in which different on-body and off-body sensors and devices monitor and share patient data with healthcare personnel and hospitals for quick and real-time decisions about patients’ health. Cognitive radio (CR) can be very useful for effective and smart healthcare systems to send and receive patient’s health data by exploiting the primary user’s (PU) spectrum.
  • 2.5K
  • 21 Sep 2023
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