Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Nano-Agrochemicals
Nano-agrochemicals (NACs) are nanomaterials and formulations specifically designed and controlled at the nanoscale. They can be defined as agricultural formulations in the form of nanopesticides (NPCs) which have unique properties (high aspect ratio) due to elements ranging in nanometer size (up to 100 nm). They have the potential to revolutionize agriculture through the promotion of efficient and ecofriendly NPCs with properties such as target specificity, the ability to control usage, and high surface area which allow the targeted delivery of nutrients and protection of crop yields. NACs, or nanotechnology-based agrochemicals, have gained considerable attention in recent years due to extensive research and development efforts. These cutting-edge products harness the special qualities of NPs to improve the effectiveness, safety, and ecofriendliness of conventional agrochemicals. This technology has emerged as a valuable tool in the agricultural sector, offering novel and efficient solutions for conventional agricultural methods and practices. Some of these include NPCs, among other NACs, which have the capacity to revolutionize agriculture by enhancing sustainability and efficiency. These NPCs, ranging in size from 1 to 200 nm, serve as a vehicle to transport agrochemical ingredients (AcI). With unique properties, they outperform conventional pesticides by 31.5% in managing crop pathogens, weeds, and insects. These unique properties include enhanced water solubility, improved bioavailability, and increased protection of agrochemicals from environmental degradation. Thus, NPCs address the drawbacks of conventional pesticides such as limited availability, susceptibility to degradation from light, and the negative effects of organic solvent pollution.
  • 1.5K
  • 03 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment (HI), also referred to as hearing loss, is the partial or total loss of hearing. GJB2 is the most common gene associated with HI and it belongs to a family of genes that encodes connexin proteins. Over seven connexins (GJB3, GJB4, GJC3, GJC1, GJB2, GJB6, and GJA1) have been globally studied for their association with HI, however, the majority did not have a clearly established association with the condition. Although there were studies that reported variants in  GJB3, GJB4, GJC3, and GJC1 in hearing-impaired patients, there is a need for more studies to clearly describe their role in the development of HI. GJB2, GJB6, and GJA1 on the other hand have been identified as HI genes that should be considered in routine clinical investigations. Recent data has shown that the coding region variants of GJB6 (except the large genomic deletions) do not contribute to the development of HI.
  • 1.5K
  • 12 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Thyroid Hürthle Cell Carcinoma
Hürthle cells are characterized cytologically as large cells with abundant eosinophilic, granular cytoplasms, and large hyperchromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasm of a Hürthle cell is swollen due mainly to the presence of numerous mitochondria. The mitochondrial protein has affinity to bind with eosin. Therefore, Hürthle cells are also called oxyphilic cells. Hürthle cell lesions in the thyroid are composed of cells with this classic histology, but not all oncocytic cells in the thyroid are true Hürthle cells. Cells with less or incomplete eosinophilic, granular appearance can observed, at least focally, in any thyroid lesions, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, nodular goiter, aging, and irradiated thyroids. These oncocytic, non-Hürthle cells are called “oncocytic metaplasia”.
  • 1.5K
  • 23 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Marketing Performance Measurement
Marketing performance measurement (MPM), or marketing performance management, is the systematic management of marketing resources and processes to achieve measurable gain in return on investment and efficiency, while maintaining quality in customer experience. Marketing performance management is a central facet of the marketing operations function within marketing departments. Marketing performance management relies on a set of measurable performance standards, a pointed focus on outcomes, and clear lines of accountability (i.e. roles and consequences). Measurement management is based on six success factors: 1) alignment, 2) accountability, 3) analytics, 4) automation, 5) alliances, and 6) assessment.
  • 1.5K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Gut Microbiome in the Populations
The gut microbiota is emerging as a promising target for the management or prevention of inflammatory and metabolic disorders in humans. Many of the current research efforts are focused on the identification of specific microbial signatures, more particularly for those associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio is frequently cited in the scientific literature as a healthy hallmark. The aim of the present review was to discuss the validity of this potential marker, based on the great amount of contradictory results reported in the literature. We re-analyzed the 16S rRNA gene sequence data from nine published studies to allow direct comparisons among their Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. We observed that the relative abundance of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla is highly variable between subjects from a same population. This is probably due to many lifestyle-associated factors including diet, physical activity, food additives and contaminants, antibiotic consumption, physical activity, among others that influence the composition of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract. This could explain the contradictory results observed when comparing the microbiota between normal-weight and obese subjects, making it difficult to associate the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio with a determined health status.
  • 1.5K
  • 02 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world. Treatment with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is known to improve survival in CRC patients. Most anti-cancer therapies trigger apoptosis induction to eliminate malignant cells. However, treatment resistance is a major challenge in the development of effective therapies. The microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in CRC treatment resistance and CRC progression and apoptosis. This review discusses the role of miRNAs in contributing to the promotion or inhibition of apoptosis in CRC and the role of miRNAs in modulating treatment resistance in CRC cells.
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Schwann Cells in Regeneration Selectivity
Peripheral nerve injuries result in the loss of the motor, sensory and autonomic functions of the denervated segments of the body. Neurons can regenerate their injured axons and eventually reinnervate their target organs, but inaccuracy of this reinnervation causes a permanent loss of function that impairs complete recovery. Thus, understanding how regenerating axons respond to their environment and direct their growth is essential to improve the functional outcome of patients with nerve lesions. Schwann cells (SCs), the glial cells of the peripheral nerves, play a crucial role in the regeneration process, but little is known about their contribution to specific reinnervation.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Urinary Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane vesicles released by all cells and involved in intercellular communication. Importantly, EVs cargo includes nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins constantly transferred between different cell types, contributing to autocrine and paracrine signaling. In recent years, they have been shown to play vital roles, not only in normal biological functions, but also in pathological conditions, such as cancer. In the multistep process of cancer progression, EVs act at different levels, from stimulation of neoplastic transformation, proliferation, promotion of angiogenesis, migration, invasion, and formation of metastatic niches in distant organs, to immune escape and therapy resistance. Moreover, as products of their parental cells, reflecting their genetic signatures and phenotypes, EVs hold great promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Importantly, their potential to overcome the current limitations or the present diagnostic procedures has created interest in bladder cancer (BCa). Indeed, cystoscopy is an invasive and costly technique, whereas cytology has poor sensitivity for early staged and low-grade disease. Several urine-based biomarkers for BCa were found to overcome these limitations.
  • 1.5K
  • 10 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Fault Detection in DHC Systems
Peak shaving, demand response, fast fault detection, emissions and costs reduction are some of the main objectives to meet in advanced district heating and cooling (DHC) systems. In order to enhance the operation of infrastructures, challenges such as supply temperature reduction and load uncertainty with the development of algorithms and technologies are growing. Therefore, traditional control strategies and diagnosis approaches cannot achieve these goals. Accordingly, to address these shortcomings, researchers have developed plenty of innovative methods based on their applications and features. The main purpose of this article is to review recent publications that include both hard and soft computing implementations such as model predictive control and machine learning algorithms with applications also on both fourth and fifth generation district heating and cooling networks. 
  • 1.5K
  • 18 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Phenuiviruses
Phenuiviridae in the Bunyavirales order is a large family of arthropod-borne RNA viruses that comprises 19 genera. Phenuiviruses are unique in the sense that they infect a large spectrum of hosts, including humans and other vertebrates as well as invertebrates and plants. They usually spread to vertebrate hosts by blood-feeding arthropod vectors, such as sandflies and ticks and more rarely mosquitoes.
  • 1.5K
  • 16 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Lactic Acid Bacteria in Fermentation
The term fermentation derives from the Latin ‘fervere’, which means to boil, due to the appearance produced by yeast on fruit or malt extracts, as a result of the production of carbon dioxide bubbles caused by the catabolism of the sugars in the extract. The most common concept of fermentation is the conversion of sugar into an organic acid, then into alcohol. It occurs naturally in many food types, and humans have used it since ancient times to improve the preservation and the organoleptic properties of food. This term is only used when referring to microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and fungi) to make useful products for humans such as biomasses, enzymes, primary and secondary metabolites, recombinant products, and biotransformed products used in industry. Fermentation is a catabolic process of incomplete oxidation, completely anaerobic, and its final product is an organic compound, where in the absence of oxygen, the final acceptor of the NADH electrons produced in glycolysis is not oxygen, but an organic compound that will be reduced to oxidize NADH to NAD+ . There are different types of fermentation, e.g., alcoholic, acetic, butyric, and lactic. The fermentation processes have some main purposes: (1) the enrichment of the diet by developing flavors, aromas, and textures; (2) food preservation through lactic acid, ethanol, acetic acid, and alkaline fermentations; (3) enrichment of foods with protein, amino acids, lipids, and vitamins; (4) decrease in cooking time and fuel requirements so that the loss of nutrients is less; and (5) it can produce nutrients or eliminate anti-nutrients; being the final product an organic compound that characterizes the types of fermentation.
  • 1.5K
  • 13 May 2021
Topic Review
Modern Displacement Measuring Systems
The contemporary displacement measurement systems used in geotechnical laboratories during the determination of soil precise mechanical parameters, (e.g., the shear modules G: initial and in the range of small and very small strains) are not universal and their use depends on the type of soil (cohesive, non-cohesive), its condition (loose or dense, stiff or very soft), and its characteristic properties (e.g., organic soil, swelling soil).
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Oct 2021
Topic Review
β-Lactamase Inhibitors
The inhibitors of β-lactamases (BLI) have gained a prominent role in the safeguard of beta-lactams. In the last years, new β-lactam–BLI combinations have been registered or are still under clinical evaluation, demonstrating their effectiveness to treat complicated infections. It is also noteworthy that the pharmacokinetics of BLIs partly matches that of β-lactams companions, meaning that some clinical situations, as well as renal impairment and renal replacement therapies, may alter the disposition of both drugs. Common pharmacokinetic characteristics, linear pharmacokinetics across a wide range of doses, and known pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters may guide modifications of dosing regimens for both β-lactams and BLIs. However, comorbidities (i.e., burns, diabetes, cancer) and severe changes in individual pathological conditions (i.e., acute renal impairment, sepsis) could make dose adaptation difficult, because the impact of those factors on BLI pharmacokinetics is partly known. Therapeutic drug monitoring protocols may overcome those issues and offer strategies to personalize drug doses in the intensive care setting. Further prospective clinical trials are warranted to improve the use of BLIs and their β-lactam companions in severe and complicated infections. 
  • 1.5K
  • 11 Jul 2021
Topic Review
S1P in Multiple Sclerosis
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a signaling molecule with complex biological functions that are exerted through the activation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors 1–5 (S1PR1–5). S1PR expression is necessary for cell proliferation, angiogenesis, neurogenesis and, importantly, for the egress of lymphocytes from secondary lymphoid organs. Since the inflammatory process is a key element of immune-mediated diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), S1PR modulators are currently used to ameliorate systemic immune responses. 
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Digital Pills with Ingestible Sensors
Digital pills contain integrated sensors that allow monitoring of the course of pharmacotherapy through an interaction with the software of, e.g., tablets and smartphones. Such monitoring is of great importance, as low patient compliance (medication opt-out) is a major challenge for all areas of medicine.
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Airborne Wind Energy
Airborne wind energy (AWE) is the direct use or generation of wind energy by the use of aerodynamic or aerostatic lift devices. AWE technology is able to harvest high altitude winds, in contrast to wind turbines, which use a rotor mounted on a tower. The term high-altitude wind power (HAWP) has been used to refer to AWE systems. However, semantically HAWP might also include wind energy conversion systems that are somehow positioned at a large height from the ground or sea surface. Various mechanisms are proposed for capturing the kinetic energy of winds such as kites, kytoons, aerostats, gliders, gliders with turbines for regenerative soaring, sailplanes with turbines, or other airfoils, including multiple-point building- or terrain-enabled holdings. Once the mechanical energy is derived from the wind's kinetic energy, then many options are available for using that mechanical energy: direct traction, conversion to electricity aloft or at ground station, conversion to laser or microwave for power beaming to other aircraft or ground receivers. Energy generated by a high-altitude system may be used aloft or sent to the ground surface by conducting cables, mechanical force through a tether, rotation of endless line loop, movement of changed chemicals, flow of high-pressure gases, flow of low-pressure gases, or laser or microwave power beams.
  • 1.5K
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
KIVA
KIVA is a family of Fortran-based Computational Fluid Dynamics software developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The software predicts complex fuel and air flows as well as ignition, combustion, and pollutant-formation processes in engines. The KIVA models have been used to understand combustion chemistry processes, such as auto-ignition of fuels, and to optimize diesel engines for high efficiency and low emissions. General Motors has used KIVA in the development of direct-injection, stratified charge gasoline engines as well as the fast burn, homogeneous-charge gasoline engine. Cummins reduced development time and cost by 10%–15% using KIVA to develop its high-efficiency 2007 ISB 6.7-L diesel engine that was able to meet 2010 emission standards in 2007. At the same time, the company realized a more robust design and improved fuel economy while meeting all environmental and customer constraints.
  • 1.5K
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Actin-Binding Proteins in Cardiac Hypertrophy
Actin participates in the formation of highly differentiated myofibrils under the regulation of actin-binding proteins (ABPs), which provides a structural basis for the contractile function and morphological change in cardiomyocytes.
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Food Protein-Derived Antioxidant Peptides
The antioxidant activity of protein-derived peptides was one of the first to be revealed among the more than 50 known peptide bioactivities to date. The exploitation value associated with food-derived antioxidant peptides is mainly attributed to their natural properties and effectiveness as food preservatives and in disease prevention, management, and treatment. An increasing number of antioxidant active peptides have been identified from a variety of renewable sources, including terrestrial and aquatic organisms and their processing by-products. This has important implications for alleviating population pressure, avoiding environmental problems, and promoting a sustainable shift in consumption.
  • 1.5K
  • 02 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Site-Specific Antibody Conjugations with Non-Cytotoxic Compounds
As hybrid molecules containing biologics and highly toxic low-molecular weight chemotherapeutic drugs, antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) leverage the advantages of both targeting specificity of antibodies and high potency of cytotoxic compounds or synthetic cytotoxins. In addition to the use of synthetic cytotoxic compounds, many different payloads, including non-cytotoxic compounds, proteins/peptides, glycans, lipids, and nucleic acids, have been utilized for site-specific antibody conjugations.The site-specific antibody conjugates containing these payloads can be used in proof-of-concept studies or in developing new therapeutics for unmet medical needs.
  • 1.5K
  • 10 Feb 2023
  • Page
  • of
  • 2800
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback