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Topic Review
Cu Homeostasis in Bacteria
Copper is an essential transition metal which is also toxic to cell.. Organisms have developed sophisticated pathways to import, traffic, store and deliver copper to cuproproteins. They also export its excess outsite of the cell to protect themselves from oxidative stress. The pathways contains specific importers, chaperons, storage proteins and exporters. Expression of the corresponding structural genes is conrolled by copper availability via sensors and response regulation transcription factors described below.
  • 1.8K
  • 08 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Conditional Frontier Analysis (DEA)
Conditional Frontier Analysis is part of the Nonparametric Robust Estimators proposed to overcome some drawbacks in the traditional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Free Disposal Hull (FDH) measures for the technical efficiency. In special, this methodology extends the nonparametric input/output production technology to robustly account for extreme values or outliers in the data, and allow measuring the effect of external environmental variables on the efficiency of Decision Making Units (DMUs). 
  • 1.8K
  • 01 May 2021
Topic Review
Functional Treatments for Modified Wood
Wood modification has been defined by Hill as a process that “involves the action of a chemical, biological or physical agent upon the material, resulting in a desired property enhancement during the service life of the modified wood. The modified wood should itself be nontoxic under service conditions, and furthermore, there should be no release of any toxic substances during service, or at end of life, following disposal or recycling of the modified wood. If the modification is intended for improved resistance to biological attack, then the mode of action should be non-biocidal.”
  • 1.8K
  • 03 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Inflammatory Tumor Microenvironment
The development of tumors requires an initiator event, usually exposure to DNA damaging agents that cause genetic alterations such as gene mutations or chromosomal abnormalities, leading to deregulated cell proliferation. Although the mere stochastic accumulation of further mutations may cause tumor progression, it is now clear that an inflammatory microenvironment has a major tumor-promoting influence on initiated cells, in particular when a chronic inflammatory reaction already existed before the initiated tumor cell was formed. Moreover, inflammatory cells become mobilized in response to signals emanating from tumor cells. In both cases, the microenvironment provides signals that initiated tumor cells perceive by membrane receptors and transduce via downstream kinase cascades to modulate multiple cellular processes and respond with changes in cell gene expression, metabolism, and morphology. Cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors are examples of major signals secreted by immune cells, fibroblast, and endothelial cells and mediate an intricate cell-cell crosstalk in an inflammatory microenvironment, which contributes to increased cancer cell survival, phenotypic plasticity and adaptation to surrounding tissue conditions. Eventually, consequent changes in extracellular matrix stiffness and architecture, coupled with additional genetic alterations, further fortify the malignant progression of tumor cells, priming them for invasion and metastasis.
  • 1.8K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Food Applications of Berberis Plants
The genus Berberis includes about 500 different species and commonly grown in Europe, the United States, South Asia, and some northern areas of Iran and Pakistan. Leaves and fruits can be prepared as food flavorings, juices, and teas. Phytochemical analysis of these species has reported alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds and oleanolic acid, among others. Moreover, p-cymene, limonene and ocimene as major compounds in essential oils were found by gas chromatography. Berberis is an important group of the plants having enormous potential in the food and pharmaceutical industry, since they possess several properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activities.
  • 1.8K
  • 06 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Early Warning Systems
An Early Warning System (EWS) is an architecture that integrates monitoring and forecasting subsystems, effective communication technologies, decision-making capabilities, and response activities to reduce the impact of disasters due to hazardous events through the generation and dissemination of accurate and timely warnings.
  • 1.8K
  • 16 Mar 2022
Topic Review
The PRESAGE Radiochromic Polymer Dosimeter
Advances in radiotherapy technology and techniques have allowed a highly conformal radiation to be delivered to the tumor target inside the body for cancer treatment. A three-dimensional (3D) dosimetry system is required to verify the accuracy of the complex treatment delivery. A 3D dosimeter based on the radiochromic response of a polymer towards ionising radiation has been introduced as the PRESAGE dosimeter. The polyurethane dosimeter matrix is combined with a leuco-dye and a free radical initiator, whose colour changes in proportion to the radiation dose. PRESAGE overcomes the limitations of its predecessors, the Fricke gel and the polymer gel dosimeters, which are challenging to fabricate and read out, sensitive to oxygen, and sensitive to diffusion. The formulation of PRESAGE shows a delicate balance between the number of radical initiators, metal compounds, and catalysts to achieve stability, optimal sensitivity, and water equivalency. 
  • 1.8K
  • 22 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Reinforcement Learning in Home Energy Management System
Artificial Intelligence, more specifically machine learning, is one of the key contributing factors that have helped realize Home Energy Management Systems today. Reinforcement Learning is a class of machine learning algorithms that is making deep inroads in various applications in energy management in smart homes. This machine learning paradigm allows an algorithmic entity, called an agent, to make sequences of decisions and implement actions from experience in the same manner as a human being. Reinforcement learning is increasingly being used in various home energy management applications today. This article surveys the application of this learning paradigm in smart home energy management. Applications have been divided into five broad categories, and the reinforcement learning approach applied in each case have been investigated separately, in terms of building types, objective functions, and algorithm classes.
  • 1.8K
  • 14 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Phase Change Materials for Thermal Regulative Wood-Based Products
Wood is an excellent building material or component that has been used all over the world. The rise in energy consumption worldwide, particularly in the building sector, has led to the development of diverse methods to overcome this problem. Embedding phase change material, phase change material (PCM), into the wood has been researched as one of the most effective alternatives of controlling the thermal loads of wood, as it can store and release latent heat energy at a specific temperature range.
  • 1.8K
  • 12 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Robo-Taxi
A Robo-Taxi, also known as a Robo-Cab, a self-driving taxi or a driverless taxi is an autonomous car (SAE Level 4 or 5) operated for an e-hailing (on-demand mobility) service. The fact of eliminating the need for a human chauffeur, which represents a significant part of the operating costs of that type of services, could make it a very affordable solution for the customers and accelerate the spreading of Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) solutions as opposed to individual car ownership. However, it raises the issue of job destruction. Several studies highlighted that robo-taxis operated in an Autonomous Mobility on Demand (AMoD) service could be one of the most rapidly adopted applications of autonomous cars at scale and a major mobility solution in the near future, especially in urban areas, providing the majority of vehicle miles in the United States within a decade of their first introduction. Moreover, they could have a very positive impact on road safety, traffic congestion and parking. Concerning pollution and consumption of energy and other resources, robo-taxis could lead to significant improvement since these services will most probably use electric cars and for most of the rides, less vehicle size and range is necessary compared to usual, individually owned vehicles. The expectable reduction of the number of vehicles means less embodied energy but energy consumption for redistribution of empty vehicles must be taken into account.
  • 1.8K
  • 17 Oct 2022
Topic Review
MIDI 1.0
The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) specification version 1.0 describes the communications protocol and the message format, as well electrical connector. MIDI 1.0 is a one-way connection from the MIDI Out connector of the sending device to the MIDI In connector of the receiving device, transmitted serially at a rate of 31.25 kbit/s.
  • 1.8K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
GuideStar
GuideStar USA, Inc. is an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. In 2016, its database provided information on 2.5 million organizations. GuideStar was one of the first central sources of information on U.S. nonprofits and is the world's largest source of information about nonprofit organizations. GuideStar was founded in Williamsburg, Virginia in September 1994 and received tax-exempt status in 1996, the same year the company began posting nonprofit organizations' financial reports to the World Wide Web. GuideStar also serves to verify that a recipient organization is established and that donated funds go where the donor intended for individuals looking to give in the wake of disasters. In 2013, GuideStar announced major changes to its GuideStar Exchange program, which allows nonprofits to supplement the public information that is available from the IRS. GuideStar Nonprofit Profiles implemented three seals based on the information a nonprofit provides in its profile: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. In 2016, a new seal that allowed nonprofits to share progress and results for their mission, GuideStar Platinum, was introduced.
  • 1.8K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
3D Interaction
In computing, 3D interaction is a form of human-machine interaction where users are able to move and perform interaction in 3D space. Both human and machine process information where the physical position of elements in the 3D space is relevant. The 3D space used for interaction can be the real physical space, a virtual space representation simulated in the computer, or a combination of both. When the real space is used for data input, humans perform actions or give commands to the machine using an input device that detects the 3D position of the human action. When it is used for data output, the simulated 3D virtual scene is projected onto the real environment through one output device or a combination of them.
  • 1.8K
  • 29 Nov 2022
Topic Review
The Role of Hormones in Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease manifesting in inverse body regions. In HS, there appears to be a dysregulated adipokine release that is shifted towards pro-inflammatory adipokines. Insulin resistance is significantly more common in HS than in healthy patients regardless of BMI, age, and gender. Insulin resistance in HS patients leads to further cardiovascular disease. The mechanism of insulin resistance and role of adipokines should be investigated in future studies to better provide the pathomechanisms of HS. The role of androgens seems to be important in a certain subgroup of female patients. Anti-androgenic therapy can be useful and helpful in some patients.
  • 1.8K
  • 19 Dec 2022
Topic Review
AI Revolution in Digital Finance in Saudi Arabia
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become widespread, driven by abundant daily data production and increased computing power. It finds applications across various sectors, including transportation, education, healthcare, banking, and finance. The financial industry, in particular, is rapidly adopting AI to achieve significant cost savings. AI has the potential to revolutionize financial services by offering tailored, faster, and more cost-effective solutions. Saudi Arabia is emerging as a growing market in this field, emphasizing technology-driven institutions. Despite gaining prominence and government support, AI has yet to play a crucial role in improving the efficiency of financial transactions.
  • 1.8K
  • 27 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Essential Oils and Terpenoids Effects
Weeds are one of the major constraints in crop production affecting both yield and quality. The excessive and exclusive use of synthetic herbicides for their management is increasing the development of herbicide-resistant weeds and is provoking risks for the environment and human health. Therefore, the development of new herbicides with multitarget-site activity, new modes of action and low impact on the environment and health are badly needed. The study of plant–plant interactions through the release of secondary metabolites could be a starting point for the identification of new molecules with herbicidal activity. Essential oils (EOs) and their components, mainly terpenoids, as pure natural compounds or in mixtures, because of their structural diversity and strong phytotoxic activity, could be good candidates for the development of new bioherbicides or could serve as a basis for the development of new natural-like low impact synthetic herbicides. EOs and terpenoids have been largely studied for their phytotoxicity and several evidences on their modes of action have been highlighted in the last decades through the use of integrated approaches.
  • 1.8K
  • 25 Nov 2020
Topic Review
GRKs
G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) play an important role in the regulation of signaling of GPCRs that bind neurotransmitters. The canonical model of GPCR desensitization posits that GRKs phosphorylate ligand-activated GPCRs, and this phosphorylation prepares receptors for the high-affinity binding of arrestin proteins. Arrestin binding prevents further G protein coupling, promotes receptor internalization, and initiates and/or facilitates specific branches of signaling. Existing data suggest that the role of GPCR phosphorylation by GRKs is distinct in different receptors. The relationship between G protein- and arrestin-mediated signaling on the one hand, and therapeutic and side effects of drugs on the other, is more complex than is widely believed. Also, the relationship between rapid (minutes to hours) GRK/arrestin-mediated regulation and long-term (days to weeks) neural plasticity remains to be elucidated. 
  • 1.8K
  • 19 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Bio-Inspired Hierarchical Fibres
Several naturally occurring biological systems, such as bones, nacre or wood, display hierarchical architectures with a central role of the nanostructuration that allows reaching amazing properties such as high strength and toughness. Developing such architectures in man-made materials is highly challenging, and recent research relies on this concept of hierarchical structures to design high-performance composite materials. This review deals more specifically with the development of hierarchical fibres by the deposition of nano-objects at their surface to tailor the fibre/matrix interphase in (bio)composites. Fully synthetic hierarchical fibre reinforced composites are described, and the potential of hierarchical fibres is discussed for the development of sustainable biocomposite materials with enhanced structural performance. Based on various surface, microstructural and mechanical characterizations, this review highlights that nano-objects coated on natural fibres (carbonnanotubes, ZnO nanowires, nanocelluloses) can improve the load transfer and interfacial adhesion between the matrix and the fibres, and the resulting mechanical performances of biocomposites. Indeed, the surface topography of the fibres is modified with higher roughness and specific surface area, implying increased mechanical interlocking with the matrix. As a result, the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) between fibres and polymer matrices is enhanced, and failure mechanisms can bemodified with a crack propagation occurring through a zig-zag path along interphases.
  • 1.8K
  • 29 May 2021
Topic Review
Heavy Metal Accumulation in Rice and Aquatic Plants
Aquatic ecosystems are contaminated with heavy metals by natural and anthropogenic sources. Among heavy metals, cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) cause significant damage to aquatic ecosystems and can invariably affect human health. These metals can enter the human body through food chains, and the presence of heavy metals in food can lead to numerous human health consequences. Heavy metals in aquatic plants can affect plant physicochemical functions, growth, and crop yield. 
  • 1.8K
  • 10 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Autophagy in Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is known to have the lowest survival outcomes among all major cancers, and unfortunately, this has only been marginally improved over last four decades. The innate characteristics of pancreatic cancer include an aggressive and fast-growing nature from powerful driver mutations, a highly defensive tumor microenvironment and the upregulation of advantageous survival pathways such as autophagy. Autophagy involves targeted degradation of proteins and organelles to provide a secondary source of cellular supplies to maintain cell growth.
  • 1.8K
  • 29 Jul 2022
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