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Topic Review
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disorder characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels. In this form of diabetes, specialized cells in the pancreas called beta cells stop producing insulin. Insulin controls how much glucose (a type of sugar) is passed from the blood into cells for conversion to energy. Lack of insulin results in the inability to use glucose for energy or to control the amount of sugar in the blood.
  • 1.6K
  • 04 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Operational Technology
Operational technology (OT) is hardware and software that detects or causes a change, through the direct monitoring and/or control of industrial equipment, assets, processes and events. The term has become established to demonstrate the technological and functional differences between traditional information technology (IT) systems and industrial control systems environment, the so-called "IT in the non-carpeted areas".
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2004
The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2004/39/EC (known colloquially as "MiFID") as subsequently amended is a European Union law that provides harmonised regulation for investment services across the 30 member states of the European Economic Area - the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein; the United Kingdom will continue to implement the directive during the transition period. The directive's main objectives are to increase competition and investor protection, and level the playing field for market participants in investment services. As of the effective date, 1 November 2007, it replaced the Investment Services Directive (ISD). MiFID is the cornerstone of the European Commission's Financial Services Action Plan, whose 42 measures will significantly change how EU financial service markets operate. MiFID is the most significant piece of legislation introduced under the Lamfalussy procedure designed to accelerate the adopting of legislation based on a four-level approach recommended by the Committee of Wise Men chaired by Baron Alexandre Lamfalussy. There are three other "Lamfalussy Directives"—the Prospectus Directive, the Market Abuse Directive, and the Transparency Directive. MiFID retained the principles of the EU "passport" introduced by the Investment Services Directive (ISD) but introduced the concept of "maximum harmonization", which places more emphasis on home state supervision. This is a change from the prior EU financial service legislation, which featured a "minimum harmonization and mutual recognition" concept. "Maximum harmonization" does not permit states to be "super equivalent" or to "gold-plate" EU requirements detrimental to a "level playing field". Another change was the abolition of the "concentration rule" in which member states could require investment firms to route client orders through regulated markets. The MiFID Level 1 Directive 2004/39/EC, implemented through the standard co-decision procedure of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, sets out a detailed framework for the legislation. Twenty articles of this directive specified technical implementation measures (Level 2). These measures were adopted by the European Commission based on technical advice from the Committee of European Securities Regulators and negotiations in the European Securities Committee, with oversight by the European Parliament. Implementation measures in the form of a Commission Directive and Commission Regulation were officially published on 2 September 2006. After its initial implementation, MiFID was intended to be reviewed. After extensive discussion and debate, in April 2014, the European Parliament approved both MiFID II, an updated version of the original MiFID law, and MiFID II's accompanying regulation, MiFIR. The directive and regulation include fewer exemptions and expand the scope of the original MiFID to cover a larger group of companies and financial products. Both MiFID II and MiFIR have been effective from 3 January 2018.
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Ion Channels
This reviews describes the requirement of ion channel function for viral infection. Also discussed is how viral infections can result in acquired channelopathies by altering ion channels. Ion channel modulators may be useful in treating both of these aspects.
  • 1.6K
  • 11 Aug 2020
Topic Review
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are a group of universally occurring phloem sap sucking insects that has secured a status of most devastating pests for causing both direct and indirect damages to crops. A few of them serve as vectors of plant viruses that are detrimental to the crop in question and cause an actual loss in productivity. A lot of attention is focused on pest control measures under the umbrella of IPM (Integrated pest management). 
  • 1.6K
  • 12 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Mitochondria in the Central Nervous System
Nearly half a century has passed since the discovery of cytoplasmic inheritance of human chloramphenicol resistance. The inheritance was then revealed to take place maternally by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mutations in mtDNA were identified as a cause of severe inheritable metabolic diseases with neurological manifestation. A growing number of preclinical studies have revealed that animal behaviors are influenced by the impairment of mitochondrial functions. Indeed, as high as 54% of patients with one of the most common primary mitochondrial diseases, mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome, present psychiatric symptoms. Mitochondrial functions are observed to be compromised and to become less resilient under continuous stress. Furthermore, stress, inflammation, mitochondrial impairment have been linked to the activation of the tryptophan–kynurenine metabolic system, which observably contributes to the development of pathological conditions including neurological and psychiatric disorders.
  • 1.6K
  • 29 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Structural Glial–Neuronal Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Transfer
Glial–neuronal mitochondrial transfer is mediated via a number of active processes including the release of extracellular vesicles, the formation of tunnelling nanotubes, and potentially other mechanisms.
  • 1.6K
  • 07 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Learning Disabilities of Chinese Students
Children with learning disabilities were screened mainly through three ways: the ability–achievement discrepancy approach, Response to Intervention (RTI) and cognitive and neuropsychological assessment of Processing Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW).
  • 1.6K
  • 03 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Nanocellulose Nanomorphologies
Nanocellulosic materials have attracted special attention because of their performance in different advanced applications, biodegradability, availability, and biocompatibility. Nanocellulosic materials can assume three distinct morphologies, including cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and bacterial cellulose (BC). 
  • 1.6K
  • 17 May 2023
Topic Review
Biopotential Signal Monitoring Systems in Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation consists of an iterative process involving assessments and specialized training, which unfortunately are often limited by healthcare centres’ restricted resources. To overcome this limitation, wearable technology should be an important, potential and valid solution to objectively assess and monitor patients inside and/or outside clinical environments. The information extracted by the use of this technology should provide a more detailed evaluation of the impairment, also allowing the identification of rehabilitation therapies.
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Alternative Materials from Agro-Industry for Wood Panel Manufacturing
The growing demand for wood-based panels for buildings and furniture and the increasing worldwide concern for reducing the pressure on forest resources require alternatives to wood raw materials. The agricultural industry not only can provide raw materials from non-wood plants but also numerous residues and side streams. An overview of the availability was supplied, chemical composition, and fiber characteristics of non-wood lignocellulosic materials and agricultural residues, i.e., grow care residues, harvest residues, and process residues, and their relevance for use in wood panel manufacturing. During the crop harvest, there are millions of tons of residues in the form of stalks, among other things. Usually, these are only available seasonally without using storage capacity. Process residues, on the other hand, can be taken from ongoing production and processed further. Fiber characteristics and chemical composition affect the panel properties. Alternatives to wood with long fibers and high cellulose content offer sufficient mechanical strength in different panel types. In general, the addition of wood substitutes up to approximately 30% provides panels with the required strength properties. However, other parameters must be considered, such as pressing temperature, adhesive type, press levels, and pretreatments of the raw material. 
  • 1.6K
  • 14 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Toxic Metals Contamination
Concentrations of potentially toxic metals including Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, U, Th in surface water and sediment samples collected from a river were analyzed to assess the contaminations, distribution characteristics and sources of these metals. The contents of the metals were lower than the standard levels set by WHO for drinking water. However, U and Th contents were far beyond the background values of surface water. The concentrations of Cd, Cr and U in sediments were higher than the background values and the Probable Effect Level (PEL) of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) which may result in high potential harmful biological effects to aquatic ecosystem. Based on the contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (RI), Cd, Cr and U were considered to be the metals that mainly contribute to the contamination of sediments. The calculation results also indicated that the sites adjacent to the uranium ore field were highly polluted. Results of cluster analysis, principal component analysis and correlation analysis revealed that Cr, Pb, U, Th were highly correlated with each other. These metals were mainly originated from both anthropogenic source and natural processes, especially emissions from uranium mining and quarrying, whereas Cd mostly came from anthropogenic source (agricultural activities) of the upper reaches of the river.
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Walking and Cycling
Walking and cycling are not only frequently-utilized modes of transport but also a popular component of people’s daily physical activity. As two alternatives to motorized travel modes such as private driving, walking and cycling can effectively reduce transport costs and, at the same time, mitigate traffic congestion induced by the explosion of motorized transport [1]. 
  • 1.6K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Functional Foods and Aging
A new epoch is emerging with intense research on nutraceuticals, i.e., "food or food product that provides medical or health benefits including the prevention and treatment of diseases", such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nutraceuticals contain bioactive principles which act at different biochemical and metabolic levels and there's a growing body of evidence which shows their potent neuroprotective effects, offering thus alternative avenues for a modern innovative medicine in human beings; in particular, these natural compounds are able to provide defence against mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, toxicity of β-amyloid peptide and tau protein and cell death. More recently, preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that a wide range of these substances can also differentially influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota in correlation with the cerebral formation and aggregation of toxic protein aggregates. Further, the routes of interaction between epigenetic mechanisms and the gut–brain axis have been also elucidated, establishing a modulatory role of diet-induced changes on commensal microbial community in shaping the brain function and integrity. 
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Platelet in Atherosclerosis Plaque Formation
Besides their role in hemostasis and thrombosis, it has become increasingly clear that platelets are also involved in many other pathological processes of the vascular system, such as atherosclerotic plaque formation. Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular inflammatory disease, which preferentially develops at sites under disturbed blood flow with low speeds and chaotic directions. Hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension are all risk factors for atherosclerosis. When the vascular microenvironment changes, platelets can respond quickly to interact with endothelial cells and leukocytes, participating in atherosclerosis.
  • 1.6K
  • 10 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Supramolecular Hydrogels for Protein Delivery
Therapeutic proteins, such as growth factors (GFs), have been used in tissue engineering (TE) approaches for their ability to provide signals to cells and orchestrate the formation of functional tissue. However, to be effective and minimize off-target effects, GFs should be delivered at the target site with temporal control. In addition, protein drugs are typically sensitive water soluble macromolecules with delicate structure. As such, hydrogels, containing large amounts of water, provide a compatible environment for the direct incorporation of proteins within the hydrogel network, while their release rate can be tuned by engineering the network chemistry and density. Being formed by transient crosslinks, afforded by non-covalent interactions, supramolecular hydrogels offer important advantages for protein delivery applications.
  • 1.6K
  • 04 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Stem Cells
It is now well accepted that the human body contains adult stem cells or in other words post-natal stem cells that are capable of differentiating into other tissues and can regenerate or repair damaged tissues. Over the last decades, stem cell hypothesis, the development of tissue deficits due to the inability of stem cells to replenish lost cells, has become a reality. Stem cells were in a way studied by radiobiologists well before it was proposed as a hypothesis. In fact, the initial theory of the development of radiation lesions’ “target cell theory” was based on radiation-induced cell loss. Target cell theory introduced by Puck and Marcus considers cell loss as the cardinal cause of radiation induced normal tissue damage or tumour ablation. In recent years, it has been shown that the process of development of radiation damage and the damage itself starts by molecular changes long before denudation of target cells. However, one cannot deny the fact that the ultimate lesions manifest as loss of functional cells. Most bodily tissues possess a pool of clonogenic cells that are mobilised in response to assaults such as trauma or radiation. Damage to the tissue is repaired by proliferation of clonogenic or tissue specific stem cells. Sterilisation of these clonogenic cells by radiation manifests as radiation damage. In mild cases as the damage is sensed, these clonogenic cells migrate to the site of damage, and together with local surviving clonogic cells, proliferate to repair the tissue. However, in severe cases of tissue repairs, there might not be enough surviving clonogenic cells as the site of damage or sufficient number of mobilised cells to reach the site and repair the damage. Thus, the damage gets established as a result of failure of endogenous stem cells to regenerate the damaged tissue.
  • 1.6K
  • 31 Jan 2022
Topic Review
ER Stress
Recent studies undoubtedly show the importance of inter-organellar connections to maintain cellular homeostasis. In normal physiological conditions or in the presence of cellular and environmental stress, each organelle responds alone or in coordination to maintain cellular function. The Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are two important organelles with very specialized structural and functional properties. These two organelles are physically connected through very specialized proteins in the region called the mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM). The molecular foundation of this relationship is complex and involves not only ion homeostasis through the shuttling of calcium but also many structural and apoptotic proteins. IRE1alpha and PERK are known for their canonical function as an ER stress sensor controlling unfolded protein response during ER stress. The presence of these transmembrane proteins at the MAM indicates its potential involvement in other biological functions beyond ER stress signaling. Many recent studies have now focused on the non-canonical function of these sensors. 
  • 1.6K
  • 06 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Trichoderma
There is no doubt that Trichoderma is an inhabitant of the rhizosphere that plays an important role in how plants interact with the environment. Beyond the production of cell wall degrading enzymes and metabolites, Trichoderma spp. can protect plants by inducing faster and stronger immune responses, a mechanism known as priming, which involves enhanced accumulation of dormant cellular proteins that function in intracellular signal amplification. One example of these proteins is the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) that are triggered by the rise of cytosolic calcium levels and cellular redox changes following a stressful challenge. Transcription factors such as WRKYs, MYBs, and MYCs, play important roles in priming as they act as regulatory nodes in the transcriptional network of systemic defence after stress recognition.
  • 1.6K
  • 06 May 2021
Topic Review
AMF and Camellia Plants
Camellia is a genus of evergreen shrubs or trees, such as C. japonica, C. sinensis, C. oleifera, etc. A group of beneficial soil microorganisms, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), inhabit the rhizosphere of these Camellia spp. A total of eight genera of Acaulospora, Entrophospora, Funneliformis, Gigaspora, Glomus, Pacispora, Scutellospora, and Sclerocystis were found to be associated with Camellia plants with Glomus and/or Acaulospora being most abundant. These mycorrhizal fungi can colonize the roots of Camellia spp. and thus form arbuscular mycorrhizal symbionts. AMF is an important partner of Camellia spp. in the field of physiological activities. Studies indicated that AMF inoculation has been shown to promote plant growth, improve nutrient acquisition and nutritional quality, and increase resistance to drought, salinity and heavy metal contamination in potted Camellia.
  • 1.6K
  • 11 Oct 2021
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