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Topic Review
Optical Biosensors for MicroRNAs/miRNAs Detection
MicroRNAs, also known as miRNAs, are involved in the regulation of gene expression and their altered levels can be associated to different diseases, therefore making interesting their employment as biomarkers. Biosensors are developed to obtain accurate data from fluids that originate in the human body and they basically consist of a bioreceptor that binds the target molecule (the biomarker, such as a miRNA) and a transducer that enables a measurable response to be obtained. Optical biosensors are becoming increasingly important, particularly in the case of DNA and RNA biomarkers due to their advantages, including their direct detection, high specificity, sensitivity and good cost-performance ratio among others. An overview of the different optical biosensors used to detect miRNAs is provided, describing the employed technique (fluorescence, plasmon resonances, interferometry, SERS), their performance and main characteristics (LOD and dynamic range). 
  • 1.9K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Carbon as a Biomaterial for Scaffold Development
A scaffold is a crucial biological substitute designed to aid the treatment of damaged tissue caused by trauma and disease. Various scaffolds are developed with different materials, known as biomaterials, and have shown to be a potential tool to facilitate in vitro cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. Among the materials studied, carbon materials are potential biomaterials that can be used to develop scaffolds for cell growth. Many researchers have attempted to build a scaffold following the origin of the tissue cell by mimicking the pattern of their extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, extensive studies were performed on the various parameters that could influence cell behaviour. Previous studies have shown that various factors should be considered in scaffold production, including the porosity, pore size, topography, mechanical properties, wettability, and electroconductivity, which are essential in facilitating cellular response on the scaffold. These interferential factors will help determine the appropriate architecture of the carbon-based scaffold, influencing stem cell (SC) response.
  • 1.9K
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Atrial Fibrillation Arrhythmia Detection Methods
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is still a major cause of disease morbidity and mortality, making its early diagnosis desirable and urging researchers to develop efficient methods devoted to automatic AF detection. Till now, the analysis of electrocardiography (Holter-ECG) recordings remains the gold-standard technique to screen AF. This is usually achieved by studying either RR interval time series analysis, P-wave detection or combinations of both morphological characteristics. After extraction and selection of meaningful features, each of the AF detection methods might be conducted through univariate and multivariate data analysis. Many of these automatic techniques have been proposed over the last years. 
  • 1.9K
  • 12 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Mechanobiology of Chondrocytes
This entry is associated with a review article, published in MDPI Applied Sciences on 23 April 2020, about the current knowledge on the mechanical stimulation of mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage regeneration. Loading stresses, physiologically experienced by chondrocytes, regulate the production of glycosaminoglycan and collagen, as well as promote and preserve cell viability. Therefore, there is a rising interest in the development of devices that impose mechanical stimuli, such as compression and shear stress, on mesenchymal stem cells. The mentioned review will analyze the dynamics within the joint, the physiological stimuli experienced by the chondrocytes, and how the biomechanical stimulation can be applied to a stem cell culture in order to induce chondrogenesis. In addition to that, paper lists some of the current applications in the field.
  • 1.9K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Mechanical Properties of Animal Tendons
In medical and bioengineering research, animal tendons are commonly utilized as surrogates for human ones for mechanical testing. Due to the differences among human tendons of different anatomical districts, different animal species can be better suited for specific purposes. Indeed, the mechanical response of animal tendons to an external load is strictly related to its complex and highly organized hierarchical structure, which ranges from nano- to macroscale. In a broader sense, the mechanical properties of tendons during tensile tests are affected by several distinct factors, due in part to tendon nature (anatomical site, age, training, injury, etc.) but also depending on the experimental setup and settings. Thus, there are similarities between animal and human tendons that should be considered in the biomechanical evaluation. 
  • 1.9K
  • 12 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Artificial Pancreas
The artificial pancreas is a technology in development to help people with diabetes, primarily type 1, automatically and continuously control their blood glucose level by providing the substitute endocrine functionality of a healthy pancreas. The endocrine functionality of the pancreas is provided by islet cells which produce the hormones insulin and glucagon. Artificial pancreatic technology mimics the secretion of these hormones into the bloodstream in response to the body's changing blood glucose levels. Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is crucial to the function of the brain, liver, and kidneys. Therefore, for type 1 patients, it is necessary that the levels be kept balanced when the body cannot produce insulin itself. The artificial pancreas is a broad term for different bio-engineering strategies currently in development to achieve these requirements. Different bio-engineering approaches under consideration include:
  • 1.9K
  • 29 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Electroencephalography in Schizophrenia
Electroencephalography (EEG) provides a non-invasive tool for the study of the brain’s temporal and spatial register of electric activity. Schizophrenia is a complex and heterogeneous disease, manifesting deficits that underlie many overlapping pathological mechanisms distributed across multiple brain regions. Patients with schizophrenia have sensory processing deficits and high-level attention-dependent cognitive deficits. These deficits can be assessed by the time-locked EEG activity in stimuli called ERPs and extracting the features. EEG oscillations are considered biomarkers or features of complex states in health and schizophrenia persons. The oscillatory activity of the EEG in schizophrenia patients indicates abnormal temporal integration and interregional connectivity of brain networks during neurocognitive function. EEG signal analysis can be performed in the time, frequency, and time–frequency domains.
  • 1.9K
  • 09 May 2023
Topic Review
Protein L
Protein L is a surface protein of Peptostreptococcus magnus, showing binding activity against IgGs. Therefore, protein L can be used as affinity ligand in the purification process of antibodies and antibody fragments. Furthermore, analytical tools based on this specific interaction are applied in industry and research.
  • 1.9K
  • 28 May 2021
Topic Review
Soil as a Biological System
I have summarized the in issues discussed in the mini review that I have published in 2020. Starting from the seven grand questions described by Selman Waksman in 1927 I have discussed the main known aspects of soil as a biological system, the main research approaches and one knowledge gap for each question.
  • 1.9K
  • 10 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Thermal Load and Heat Transfer in Dental Implants
Heat is a kinetic process whereby energy flows from between two systems, hot-to-cold objects. In oro-dental implantology, conductive heat transfer/(or thermal stress) is a complex physical phenomenon to analyze and consider in treatment planning. Hence, ample research has attempted to measure heat-production to avoid over-heating during bone-cutting and drilling for titanium (Ti) implant-site preparation and insertion, thereby preventing/minimizing early (as well as delayed) implant-related complications and failure. The goal is two-fold: (A) the standard heat equation is proposed to be solved, modifying the imposed boundary conditions without any additional source term, and on the other hand, (B) a gap is filled in the literature via obtaining an exact analytical solution of a somewhat simplified problem, which nevertheless, encapsulates the physics and reproduces the results already found in previous works via numerical analyses. In addition, for the first time, the intrinsic time is introduced and involved herein, a “proper” time that characterizes the geometry of the dental implant fixture and overall system, and how the interplay between that time and the exposure time influences temperature changes, and subsequent implant survival, are shown. Thus, this work aims to complement the overall clinical diagnostic and treatment plan for enhanced biological one–implant interface and mechanical implant stability and success rates, whether for immediate or delayed implant loading strategies.
  • 1.9K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Pluripotent Stem Cell
Pluripotent stem cells (PSC) such as embryonic stem cells (ESC) and induced PSCs (iPSC) are originated from embryos and induced from adult tissue cells, respectively. PSCs are capable of proliferating almost indefinitely, and differentiating into all somatic cells, through processes that mimic early embryogenesis. The resulting cells tend to carry embryonic characteristics.
  • 1.8K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Photolyase Current Applications
The photolyase family consists of flavoproteins with enzyme activity able to repair ultraviolet light radiation damage by photoreactivation. DNA damage by the formation of a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and a pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct can lead to multiple affections such as cellular apoptosis and mutagenesis that can evolve into skin cancer. The development of integrated applications to prevent the negative effects of prolonged sunlight exposure, usually during outdoor activities, is imperative. 
  • 1.8K
  • 26 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Bioactive Ceramic Scaffolds
A wide variety of bioactive ceramic scaffolds, which encompass CaP, doped HA and CS, bioactive glasses and ceramics, and their respective composites, have been used as the constructs for replacing cancellous bone (restoration of the bone loss), shown in. Synthetic HA, which is similar to the CaP minerals within bones and teeth, is successfully applied as a bone implant with suitable mechanical strength and osteoconductivity. Bioactive scaffolds processed through PBSLP with the various modes of functionalization through the incorporation of drugs, stem cells, and growth factors facilitate bone regeneration and ameliorate critical-sized bone defects based on the fracture site length for personalized medicine. The keyhole pores, apart from the designed porosity from the CAD design, usually affect the mechanical strength of the scaffolds when fabricated through powder bed selective laser processing techniques.
  • 1.8K
  • 24 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Nanomaterials for Heavy Metal Removal
Nanomaterials are defined as materials that contain particles measuring between 1.0 and 100 nm in at least one dimension.
  • 1.8K
  • 01 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is opening new therapeutic possibilities of fighting against COVID-19 by enabling new prevention, diagnosis, drug delivery, and treatment methods. Nanomedicine is known as the branch of medicine involved in preventing and curing various diseases using nanoscale materials, such as biocompatible nanoparticles and nanorobots, for various applications, including diagnosis, delivery, and sensing. In addition, nanomedicines have exhibited important features, such as efficient transport through fine capillary blood vessels and lymphatic endothelium, longer circulation duration and blood concentration, higher binding capacity to biomolecules such as endogenous compounds including proteins, higher accumulation in target tissues, reduced inflammatory or immune responses, and oxidative stress in tissues.
  • 1.8K
  • 09 May 2024
Topic Review
The Natural Cryoprotectant Honey for Fertility Cryopreservation
Honey is a mixture of 25 sugars with other bioactive substances (i.e., organic acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins) and has been known as a highly nutritious functional food. Traditionally, it has been widely used in medicinal applications to cure various diseases. The effectiveness of honey in different applications has been used for its antimicrobial activity, absorption of hydrops, cleansing, removing odor, assisting granulation, recovery of nutrition, and formation of tissue and epithelium, which proved that honey has dehydrating and preserving properties to make it ideal for the cryopreservation of cells and tissues.
  • 1.8K
  • 07 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Green Extraction Techniques for Bioactive Natural Products
Green extraction techniques represent a paradigm shift in the field of NP extraction, emphasizing sustainability, environmental consciousness, and efficiency. These methods prioritize minimizing the environmental impact associated with traditional extraction processes. Their importance lies in addressing the limitations of conventional techniques, such as low yields, substantial solvent usage, and the risk of degrading heat-sensitive compounds. The benefits of green extraction include enhanced efficiency, reduced solvent consumption, and the preservation of valuable bioactive compounds. Examples of green extraction techniques encompass “supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)”, among others. The significance and advantages of each method contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to NP extraction. Detailed discussions on each green extraction technique are provided below, highlighting their unique principles, applications, and advantages in obtaining bioactive natural products.
  • 1.8K
  • 29 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Spins in Semiconductor Nanoparticles
- Spin-dependent phenomena in semiconductors are analyzed starting from a theory of the dynamic nuclear polarization via numerous insightful findings in the realm of characterization and control through the nuclear spin polarization in nanoparticles and their aggregates into microparticles as potential contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.  - Electron spin-dependent process of the photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen in porous silicon (Si) for photodynamic therapy application and design of Si-based nanoparticles with electron spin centers for MRI contrasting for cancer theranostics are discussed.  
  • 1.8K
  • 12 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Quenchbody
The detection of viruses, disease biomarkers, physiologically active substances, drugs, and chemicals is of great significance in many areas of our lives. Immunodetection technology is based on the specificity and affinity of antigen–antibody reactions. Compared with other analytical methods such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, which requires a large and expensive instrument, immunodetection has the advantages of simplicity and good selectivity and is thus widely used in disease diagnosis and food/environmental monitoring. Quenchbody (Q-body), a new type of fluorescent immunosensor, is an antibody fragment labeled with fluorescent dyes. When the Q-body binds to its antigen, the fluorescence intensity increases. The detection of antigens by changes in fluorescence intensity is simple, easy to operate, and highly sensitive.
  • 1.8K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Coatings Empowering Antiviral/Viricidal Properties
In the surge of the current, alarming scenario of SARS-CoV-2 infections, there is a immediate necessity for developing highly-innovative antiviral agents to work against the viruses with a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. Here-in, science-based methods, mechanisms, and procedures are implemented in obtaining resultant antiviral coated substrates, used in the destruction of the strains of the different viruses are presented. we pay particular attention to recent examples from the materials science and engineering field that highlight how some classes of antiviral drug candidates, such as polymeric materials, metal ions/metal oxides and functional nanomaterials result in acting against the viral spread. Based on the available literature and data, we also disclose some of the strategies for development of a universal and reusable virus deactivation system against the emerging COVID-19.
  • 1.8K
  • 25 Sep 2020
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