Search | Encyclopedia MDPI

You're using an outdated browser. Please upgrade to a modern browser for the best experience.

Subject:

Sort by:

Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)

Filter:

All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry

Topic Review

Gender-bias in Medical Diagnosis

Gender-biased diagnosing is a controversial sociological observation which asserts that medical and psychological diagnosis may be influenced by the gender of the patient. Several studies have found evidence of differential diagnosis for patients with similar ailments but of different sexes.

2.8K
20 Oct 2022

Biography

Shafi Ahmed is a surgeon, teacher, futurist, innovator and entrepreneur. Shafi was born on 26 January 1969 in Sylhet District, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and came to the United Kingdom as a child. His father, the late Mimbor Ali, was honoured by the Bangladeshi government for his significant contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh. He was appointed as a Consultant General, Laparoscopi

2.7K
26 Dec 2022

Topic Review

Social Networking and Psychology

Social media began in the form of generalized online communities. These online communities formed on websites like Geocities.com in 1994, Theglobe.com in 1995, and Tripod.com in 1995. Many of these early communities focused on social interaction by bringing people together through the use of chat rooms. The chat rooms encouraged users to share personal information, ideas, or even personal web pages. Later the social networking community Classmates took a different approach by simply having people link to each other by using their personal email addresses. By the late 1990s, social networking websites began to develop more advanced features to help users find and manage friends. These newer generation of social networking websites began to flourish with the emergence of SixDegrees.com in 1997, Makeoutclub in 2000, Hub Culture in 2002, and Friendster in 2002. However, the first profitable mass social networking website was the South Korean service, Cyworld. Cyworld initially launched as a blog-based website in 1999 and social networking features were added to the website in 2001. Other social networking websites emerged like Myspace in 2002, LinkedIn in 2003, and Bebo in 2005. In 2009, the social networking website Facebook (launched in 2004) became the largest social networking website in the world. Active users of Facebook increased from just a million in 2004 to over 750 million by the year 2011. Making internet-based social networking both a cultural and financial phenomenon.

2.7K
07 Nov 2022

Topic Review

A cholera pit was a burial place used in a time of emergency when the disease was prevalent. Such mass graves were often unmarked and were placed in remote or specially selected locations. Public fears of contagion, lack of space within existing churchyards and restrictions placed on the movements of people from location to location also contributed to their establishment and use. Many of the victims were poor and lacked the funds for memorial stones, however memorials were sometimes added at a later date.

2.6K
04 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Pharmacognosy is the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources. The American Society of Pharmacognosy defines pharmacognosy as "the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources". It is also defined as the study of crude drugs.

2.6K
09 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology holds great potential to fabricate complex constructs in the field of regenerative medicine. Researchers in the surgical fields have used 3D printing techniques and their associated biomaterials for education, training, consultation, organ transplantation, plastic surgery, surgical planning, dentures, and more. In addition, the universal utilization of 3D printing techniques enables researchers to exploit different types of hardware and software in, for example, the surgical fields. To realize the 3D-printed structures to implant them in the body and tissue regeneration, it is important to understand 3D printing technology and its enabling technologies.

2.6K
20 Apr 2021

Topic Review

Timeline of Plague

This is a timeline of plague, describing major epidemics and key medical developments.

2.6K
14 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Sick leave (or paid sick days or sick pay) is time off from work that workers can use to stay home to address their health and safety needs without losing pay. Paid sick leave is a statutory requirement in many nations. Most European, many Latin American, a few African and a few Asian countries have legal requirements for paid sick leave. The Book of Leviticus prescribed (7) days of medical isolation for a skin condition in chapter 13. Already in 1500 BCE, at least some of the workers who built the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs received paid sick leave as well as state-supported health care. In nations without laws mandating paid sick leave, some employers choose to offer it. Those that do offer sick leave do so as a matter of workplace policy or because it is in some or all of the employees' employment contracts or required by a collective bargaining agreement. Currently, nine US states (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington); 23 US cities; and two US counties (Montgomery County, MD and San Francisco County, CA) have laws mandating paid sick leave. Currently, there are additional US city, county and state jurisdictions with proposed legislation to enact paid sick leave.

2.6K
30 Oct 2022

Topic Review

C1 and P1 (Neuroscience)

The C1 and P1 (also called the P100) are two human scalp-recorded event-related brain potential (event-related potential (ERP)) components, collected by means of a technique called electroencephalography (EEG). The C1 is named so because it was the first component in a series of components found to respond to visual stimuli when it was first discovered. It can be a negative-going component (when using a mastoid reference point) or a positive going component with its peak normally observed in the 65–90 ms range post-stimulus onset. The P1 is called the P1 because it is the first positive-going component (when also using a mastoid reference point) and its peak is normally observed in around 100 ms. Both components are related to processing of visual stimuli and are under the category of potentials called visually evoked potentials (VEPs). Both components are theorized to be evoked within the visual cortices of the brain with C1 being linked to the primary visual cortex (striate cortex) of the human brain and the P1 being linked to other visual areas (Extrastriate cortex). One of the primary distinctions between these two components is that, whereas the P1 can be modulated by attention, the C1 has been typically found to be invariable to different levels of attention.

2.6K
14 Oct 2022

Topic Review

CT Effective Dose Conversion Factors

To determine the conversion factors for effective dose (ED) per dose length product (DLP) for various computed tomography (CT) protocols based on the 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). CT dose data from 369 CT scanners and 13,625 patients were collected through a nationwide survey. Data from 3,793 patients with a difference in height within 5% of computational human phantoms were selected to calculate ED and DLP. The anatomical CT scan ranges for 11 scan protocols (adult-10, pediatric-1) were determined by experts, and scan lengths were obtained by matching scan ranges to computational phantoms. ED and DLP were calculated using NCICT program. For each CT protocol, ED/DLP conversion factors were calculated from ED and DLP. Estimated ED conversion factors were 0.00172, 0.00751, 0.00858, 0.01843, 0.01103, 0.02532, 0.01794, 0.02811, 0.02815, 0.02175, 0.00626, 0.00458, 0.00308 and 0.00233 mSv∙mGy-1∙cm-1 for the adult brain, intra-cranial angiography, C-spine, L-spine, neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, coronary angiography, calcium scoring, aortography, and CT examinations of pediatric brain of <2 years, 4-6 years, 9-11 years, and 13-15 years, respectively. We determined ED conversion factors for 11 CT protocols using CT data obtained from a nationwide survey in Korea and Monte Carlo-based dose calculations.

2.6K
04 Apr 2021

Topic Review

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles vs. Nanostructured Lipid Carriers

Solid–lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers are delivery systems for the delivery of drugs and other bioactives used in diagnosis, therapy, and treatment procedures. These nanocarriers may enhance the solubility and permeability of drugs, increase their bioavailability, and extend the residence time in the body, combining low toxicity with a targeted delivery. Nanostructured lipid carriers are the second generation of lipid nanoparticles differing from solid lipid nanoparticles in their composition matrix. The use of a liquid lipid together with a solid lipid in nanostructured lipid carrier allows it to load a higher amount of drug, enhance drug release properties, and increase its stability. Therefore, a direct comparison between solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers is needed.

2.6K
30 May 2023

Topic Review

Body Image Disturbance

Body image disturbance (BID) is a common symptom in patients with eating disorders. The onset is mainly attributed to patients with anorexia nervosa who persistently tend to subjectively discern themselves as average or overweight despite adequate, clinical grounds for a classification of being severely underweight. The symptom is an altered perception of one's body and a severe state of bodily dissatisfaction characterizing the body image disturbance. It is included among the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa in DSM-5 (criterion C). The disturbance is associated with significant bodily dissatisfaction and is a source of severe distress, often persisting even after seeking treatment for an eating disorder, and is regarded difficult to treat. Thus, effective body image interventions could improve the prognosis in patients with ED, as experts have suggested. Unfortunately, there is no hard evidence that current treatments for body image disturbance effectively reduce eating disorders' symptoms. Furthermore, pharmacotherapy is ineffective in reducing body misperception and it has been used to focus on correlated psychopathology (e.g., mood or anxiety disorders). However, to date, research and clinicians are developing new therapies as virtual reality experiences, mirror exposure or multisensory integration body techniques, which have shown some extent of efficacy.

2.6K
22 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics are defined as natural or synthetic chemicals inhibiting both the growth and survival of microorganisms. These compounds have been used as essential therapeutics for nearly a century. With the human population growth increasingly, antibiotics become preventive agents in the agricultural and animal industry. The multi-faceted global use and misuse of antibiotics led to the evolution of bacteria into antibiotic resistant species. Advantageous mutations cause antibiotic tolerance, which is transmitted to offspring (vertical evolution) or to another bacteria via conjugation, transduction, or transformation mode (horizontal evolution), that are then are then passed down to progeny (vertical evolution). Antibiotic resistance progressively increased mortality from multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, threatening public health. Probiotics, essential oils, vaccines, and antibodies to antibiotic resistant bacteria emerge as primary or adjunct preventive measures or therapies against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Bacteriophages and predatory bacteria, as well as utilization of bacterial communication quorum sensing considered as new ecosystem-influenced methods to tackle multidrug-resistant bacteria. Mechanisms of dissemination and the development of antibiotic resistance genes vary in the context of nutrition and related clinical, agricultural, veterinary, and environmental settings, this need to be accounted in selections of preventive and therapeutic countermeasures.

2.5K
05 Feb 2022

Topic Review

Medicinal Uses of Acacia seyal

Acacia seyal is an important source of gum Arabic. The availability, traditional, medicinal, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and cosmetic applications of gum acacia have pronounced its high economic value and attracted global attention.

2.5K
05 Mar 2024

Topic Review

Fungal Dermatitis

Fungal infections are potentially zoonotic and represent challenging cases to accurately diagnose. The current study documents a rare case of Geotrichum candidum dermatomycosis in a horse, which caused chronic skin disease and significant morbidity, partly attributed to incorrect clinical management.

2.5K
28 Oct 2020

Topic Review

Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a personality disorder that is characterized by a pervasive psychological dependence on other people. This personality disorder is a long-term condition in which people depend on others to meet their emotional and physical needs, with only a minority achieving normal levels of independence. Dependent personality disorder is a cluster C personality disorder, which is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety. It begins by early adulthood, and it is present in a variety of contexts and is associated with inadequate functioning. Symptoms can include anything from extreme passivity, devastation or helplessness when relationships end, avoidance of responsibilities and severe submission.

2.5K
14 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Haemophilia, or hemophilia (from grc αἷμα (Script error: No such module "Ancient Greek".) 'blood', and φιλία (Script error: No such module "Ancient Greek".) 'love of'), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, and an increased risk of bleeding inside joints or the brain. Those with a mild case of the disease may have symptoms only after an accident or during surgery. Bleeding into a joint can result in permanent damage while bleeding in the brain can result in long term headaches, seizures, or a decreased level of consciousness. There are two main types of haemophilia: haemophilia A, which occurs due to low amounts of clotting factor VIII, and haemophilia B, which occurs due to low levels of clotting factor IX. They are typically inherited from one's parents through an X chromosome carrying a nonfunctional gene. Rarely a new mutation may occur during early development or haemophilia may develop later in life due to antibodies forming against a clotting factor. Other types include haemophilia C, which occurs due to low levels of factor XI, and parahaemophilia, which occurs due to low levels of factor V. Acquired haemophilia is associated with cancers, autoimmune disorders, and pregnancy. Diagnosis is by testing the blood for its ability to clot and its levels of clotting factors. Prevention may occur by removing an egg, fertilizing it, and testing the embryo before transferring it to the uterus, which is connected with ethical problems. Human embryos in research can be regarded as the technical object/process. Missing blood clotting factors are replaced to treat haemophilia. This may be done on a regular basis or during bleeding episodes. Replacement may take place at home or in hospital. The clotting factors are made either from human blood or by recombinant methods. Up to 20% of people develop antibodies to the clotting factors which makes treatment more difficult. The medication desmopressin may be used in those with mild haemophilia A. Studies of gene therapy are in early human trials. Haemophilia A affects about 1 in 5,000–10,000, while haemophilia B affects about 1 in 40,000, males at birth. As haemophilia A and B are both X-linked recessive disorders, females are rarely severely affected. Some females with a nonfunctional gene on one of the X chromosomes may be mildly symptomatic. Haemophilia C occurs equally in both sexes and is mostly found in Ashkenazi Jews. In the 1800s haemophilia B was common within the royal families of Europe. The difference between haemophilia A and B was determined in 1952.

2.5K
27 Oct 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

List of Physicians

This is a list of famous physicians in history.

2.5K
14 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Mark-up Mechanism

A mark-up is defined as the additional charges and costs that are applied to the price of a product for the purpose of covering overhead costs, distribution charges, and profit.

2.5K
12 Jan 2021

Page
of
48

Featured Entry Collections

>>

Featured Books

>>

Encyclopedia of COVID-19

Encyclopedia of Engineering

Encyclopedia of Social Sciences

Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Chief Editor: Kum Fai Yuen

Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City

Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Chief Editor: Sandro Serpa

Academic Video Service

Feedback

Top