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Topic Review
Drought Stress Signaling in Plants
Drought stress restricts plant growth and development by altering metabolic activity and biological functions. However, plants have evolved several cellular and molecular mechanisms to overcome drought stress. Drought tolerance is a multiplex trait involving the activation of signaling mechanisms and differentially expressed molecular responses. Broadly, drought tolerance comprises two steps: stress sensing/signaling and activation of various parallel stress responses (including physiological, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms) in plants. At the cellular level, drought induces oxidative stress by overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately causing the cell membrane to rupture and stimulating various stress signaling pathways (ROS, mitogen-activated-protein-kinase, Ca2+, and hormone-mediated signaling). Drought-induced transcription factors activation and abscisic acid concentration co-ordinate the stress signaling and responses in cotton. The key responses against drought stress, are root development, stomatal closure, photosynthesis, hormone production, and ROS scavenging. The genetic basis, quantitative trait loci and genes of cotton drought tolerance are presented as examples of genetic resources in plants. Sustainable genetic improvements could be achieved through functional genomic approaches and genome modification techniques such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system aid the characterization of genes, sorted out from stress-related candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms, quantitative trait loci, and genes. Exploration of the genetic basis for superior candidate genes linked to stress physiology can be facilitated by integrated functional genomic approaches. We propose a third-generation sequencing approach coupled with genome-wide studies and functional genomic tools, including a comparative sequenced data (transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomic) analysis, which offer a platform to identify and characterize novel genes. This will provide information for better understanding the complex stress cellular biology of plants.
  • 1.7K
  • 18 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Lipid-Based Nanocarrier for Nutraceuticals Delivery
Nutraceuticals possess several health benefits and functions; however, most nutraceuticals are prone to degradation in the gastrointestinal environment and have poor bioavailability. Application of a novel carrier system is of increasing importance to overcome obstacles and provide efficient applicability. Lipid-based nanocarriers provide a large surface-to-mass ratio, enhanced intestinal absorption by solubilization in the intestinal milieu, intestinal lymphatic transport, and altering enterocyte-based transport.
  • 1.7K
  • 23 Sep 2021
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 and Coronavirus Disease 2019
Coronaviruses, named for the crown-like spikes on their surface (Latin: corona = crown), are positive-sense RNA viruses that belong to the Coronvirinae subfamily, in the Coronaviridae family of the Nidovirales order. They have four main subgroups—alpha, beta, gamma, and delta—based on their genomic structure. Alpha- and betacoronaviruses infect only mammals, usually causing respiratory symptoms in humans and gastroenteritis in other animals. In December 2019, a cluster of fatal pneumonia cases presented in Wuhan, China.  Based on clinical criteria and available serological and molecular information, the new disease was called coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), and the novel coronavirus was called SARS Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emphasizing its close relationship to the 2002 SARS virus (SARS-CoV).
  • 1.7K
  • 18 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Sustainability Goals within the UK Water Industry
The UK water industry is subject to a rolling cycle of investment to meet regulatory requirements. Moreover, this sits within the context of a constant state of flux due to the changing climate and political and societal priorities. Therefore, interventions such as improved wastewater treatment (to reduce nutrient levels entering rivers) are likely to experience conditions over the asset life, which vary widely from design parameters. This leads to a cycle of modification and upgrading in order to maintain or improve treatment processes which could include abortive investment.
  • 1.7K
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
Circular Economy in the Built Environment
The circular economy (CE) is a paradigm that is becoming increasingly popular to drive the movement to sustainability, requiring the partnership of the private sector to be implemented successfully. The application of CE initiatives in the private sector engagement has received less attention. The private sector is critical to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda by interacting with societies, governments, and other actors for a circular built environment.
  • 1.7K
  • 02 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Distribution and Diagnostics of Invasive Candidiasis
Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a systemic life-threatening infection of immunocompromised humans, but remains a relatively neglected disease among public health authorities. Ongoing assessments of disease epidemiology are needed to identify and map trends of importance that may necessitate improvements in disease management and patient care. Well-established incidence increases, largely due to expanding populations of patients with pre-disposing risk factors, has led to increased clinical use and pressures on antifungal drugs. This has been exacerbated by a lack of fast, accurate diagnostics that have led treatment guidelines to often recommend preventative strategies in the absence of proven infection, resulting in unnecessary antifungal use in many instances. The consequences of this are multifactorial, but a contribution to emerging drug resistance is of primary concern, with high levels of antifungal use heavily implicated in global shifts to more resistant Candida strains.
  • 1.7K
  • 24 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Molecular Mechanisms of Quercetin in Cancer
The term “ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species)” refers to radicals and ions that contain an unpaired numbered electron in its outmost electron field which are highly reactive metabolic byproducts that can have both harmful and useful effects within the cell. Quercetin (QC), a plant-derived bioflavonoid, is known for its ROS scavenging properties and was recently discovered to have various antitumor properties in a variety of solid tumors. Adaptive stress responses may be induced by persistent ROS stress, allowing cancer cells to survive with high levels of ROS while maintaining cellular viability. Large amounts of ROS make cancer cells extremely susceptible to quercetin, one of the most available dietary flavonoids. Because of the molecular and metabolic distinctions between malignant and normal cells, targeting ROS metabolism might help overcome medication resistance and achieve therapeutic selectivity while having little or no effect on normal cells. The powerful bioactivity and modulatory role of quercetin has prompted extensive research into the chemical, which has identified a number of pathways that potentially work together to prevent cancer, alongside, QC has a great number of evidences to use as a therapeutic agent in cancer stem cells.
  • 1.7K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Sockpuppet
A sockpuppet is an online identity used for purposes of deception. The term, a reference to the manipulation of a simple hand puppet made from a sock, originally referred to a false identity assumed by a member of an Internet community who spoke to, or about, themselves while pretending to be another person. The use of the term has expanded to now include other misleading uses of online identities, such as those created to praise, defend, or support a person or organization, to manipulate public opinion, or to circumvent restrictions, suspension or an outright ban from a website. A significant difference between the use of a pseudonym and the creation of a sockpuppet is that the sockpuppet poses as an independent third-party unaffiliated with the main account operator. Sockpuppets are unwelcome in many online communities and forums.
  • 1.7K
  • 03 Nov 2022
Biography
Mustafa Akyol
Mustafa Akyol (born 20 February 1972) is a Turkish writer and journalist. He is the author of Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty, long-listed in 2012 for the Lionel Gelber Prize, a literary award for the world's best non-fiction book in English. He became a contributing opinion writer for the International New York Times in 2013. He is mainly famous in the western world for his ar
  • 1.7K
  • 11 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Neutral Beam Injection
Neutral beam injection (NBI) is one method used to heat plasma inside a fusion device consisting in a beam of high-energy neutral particles that can enter the magnetic confinement field. When these neutral particles are ionized by collision with the plasma particles, they are kept in the plasma by the confining magnetic field, and can transfer most of their energy by further collisions with the plasma. By tangential injection in the torus, neutral beams also provide momentum to the plasma and current drive, one essential feature for long pulses of burning plasmas. Neutral beam injection is a flexible and reliable technique, which has been the main heating system on a large variety of fusion devices. To date, all NBI systems were based on positive precursor ion beams. In the 90s there has been impressive progress in negative ion sources and accelerators with the construction of multi-megawatt negative ion based NBI systems at LHD (H0, 180 keV) and JT-60U (D0, 500 keV). The NBI designed for ITER is a substantial challenge (D0, 1MeV, 40A) and a prototype is being constructed to optimize its performance in view of the ITER future operations. Other ways to heat plasma for nuclear fusion include RF heating, electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH), Lower hybrid resonance heating (LH).
  • 1.7K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Stunting (Broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs content that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play. The tactic is commonly used when a station is about to undergo a major change (such as a change in format, branding, frequency, ownership or management, or even the acquisition of a high-profile program or personality), or simply as a prank on listeners and rival broadcasters. Either way, stunting is intended as a way to generate a greater amount of media publicity and audience attention to the station, by virtue of its shock value, than a straightforward format change could provide. Depending on the station's situation and its management's preference, stunt formats can last anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks before the permanent change is launched.
  • 1.7K
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Texture
In physical chemistry and materials science, texture is the distribution of crystallographic orientations of a polycrystalline sample (it is also part of the geological fabric). A sample in which these orientations are fully random is said to have no distinct texture. If the crystallographic orientations are not random, but have some preferred orientation, then the sample has a weak, moderate or strong texture. The degree is dependent on the percentage of crystals having the preferred orientation. Texture is seen in almost all engineered materials, and can have a great influence on materials properties. The texture forms in materials during thermo-mechanical processes, for example during production processes e.g. rolling. Consequently, the rolling process is often followed by a heat treatment to reduce the amount of unwanted texture. Controlling the production process in combination with the characterization of texture and the material's microstructure help to determine the materials properties, i.e. the processing-microstructure-texture-property relationship. Also, geologic rocks show texture due to their thermo-mechanic history of formation processes. One extreme case is a complete lack of texture: a solid with perfectly random crystallite orientation will have isotropic properties at length scales sufficiently larger than the size of the crystallites. The opposite extreme is a perfect single crystal, which likely has anisotropic properties by geometric necessity.
  • 1.7K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Biography
Otto Laporte
Otto Laporte (July 23, 1902 – March 28, 1971) was a German-born United States physicist who made contributions to quantum mechanics, electromagnetic wave propagation theory, spectroscopy, and fluid dynamics. His name is lent to the Laporte rule in spectroscopy and to the Otto Laporte Award of the American Physical Society.[1] Laporte’s ancestors came from French Huguenot families who fled
  • 1.7K
  • 20 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Fucoidan in Pharmaceutical Formulations
Fucoidan is a heterogeneous group of polysaccharides isolated from marine organisms, including brown algae and marine invertebrates. The physicochemical characteristics and potential bioactivities of fucoidan have attracted substantial interest in pharmaceutical industries. These polysaccharides are characterized by possessing sulfate ester groups that impart negatively charged surfaces, low/high molecular weight, and water solubility. In addition, various promising bioactivities have been reported, such as antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antiviral effects. Hence, the formulation of fucoidan has been investigated in diverse pharmaceutical dosage forms to be able to reach their site of action effectively. Moreover, they can act as carriers for various drugs in value-added drug delivery systems.
  • 1.7K
  • 20 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Black Slug
The black slug (also known as black arion, European black slug, or large black slug) Arion ater L. is a large terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Arionidae—the round back slugs. Land slugs lack shells like other terrestrial mollusks (such as snails). Without such shells, slugs produce unappetizing mucus—that may also contain toxins—to deter predators. Terrestrial slugs produce two other forms of mucus that facilitate locomotion and prevent death from drying. Such mollusks are hermaphroditic. Slugs most often function as decomposers but are also often omnivores. Arion ater is one such slug, decomposing organic matter, preying on other organisms, and consuming vegetative matter—including agricultural crops. Native to Europe, the black slug is an invasive species in Australia, Canada (British Columbia, Newfoundland, Quebec), and the United States—Pacific Northwest.
  • 1.7K
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Zooplankton for Monitoring and Assessing Lake Ecosystem Health
For the sustainable use of lake ecosystem services—water resources, aquatic habitats for biodiversity conservation, and aesthetic values as waterfront space—ecosystem health assessments using biota are implemented as important national environmental monitoring projects. Zooplankton play a key role as an important linkage in the material circulation as secondary producers in lake ecosystems. At the same time, they influence the composition and biomass of other communities through biological interactions.
  • 1.7K
  • 27 Jul 2023
Topic Review
the Major Facilitator Superfamily
Bacterial pathogens are serious causative agents of infectious disease. Such microorganisms are resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents, thereby compromising the therapeutic efficacy of treatment.  Multidrug-resistant pathogens harbor antimicrobial efflux pumps, many transporters of which are members of the extensive major facilitator superfamily of proteins. These bacterial multidrug efflux pumps are good molecular targets for modulation and possible inhibition.  This entry briefly discusses several current developments for drug efflux pump modulation. 
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Wearable Sensors in Para-Sports
Wearable sensors provide a promising opportunity to quantitatively assess the individual functional capacities of an athlete with disability in an ecological environment. The available evidence for the application of wearable sensors in sport for athletes with disabilities is mainly focused on performance assessment and characterization for training optimization, mirroring classic aspects of sports biomechanics in non-disabled athletes. Applications specific to sports for people with disability, such as athlete classification and injury prevention, are limited but indicate possible directions for further development. Finally, since the equipment is frequently of particular importance in sports for persons with disability, the literature indicates that wearable systems are promising to support the customization of equipment to meet the athlete's individual needs.
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Autonomous Driving Systems
Autonomous vehicles are increasingly becoming a necesAutonomous vehicles are increasingly becoming a necessary trend towards building the smart cities of the future. Numerous proposals have been presented in recent years to tackle particular aspects of the working pipeline towards creating a functional end-to-end system, such as object detection, tracking, path planning, sentiment or intent detection, amongst others. Nevertheless, few efforts have been made to systematically compile all of these systems into a single proposal that also considers the real challenges these systems will have on the road, such as real-time computation, hardware capabilities, etc.
  • 1.6K
  • 11 May 2021
Topic Review
Physiological Function of Alpha-Synuclein
Synucleinopathy underlies a wide spectrum of clinical syndromes, including Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and pure autonomic failure (PAF). A common feature of these syndromes is alpha-synuclein (aS) aggregation and cellular inclusions.  In synucleinopathies, the formation of the distinct αS species is determined by the nature of the self-assembly processes, which is influenced by many factors including the SNCA mutation or multiplication, epigenetic regulation, post-translational modification, micro-environments, etc.  Both the oligomeric and fibrillar forms of αS are toxic to cells.  The detrimental effects of αS continue to grow as αS fibrils start to form LBs, which can cause mitochondrial disassembly, mitophagy, mitochondrial depolarization, and synaptic dysfunction that result in progressive neurodegeneration.  
  • 1.6K
  • 16 Sep 2023
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