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Topic Review
Minerals and Mastitis in Cows
Inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis) is an important disease in dairy cows. Among factors affecting the incidence of mastitis, mineral deficiencies are mentioned, since they strongly influence the immune system. Consequently, these deficiencies result in weakened immunity, which increases the risk of any infectious disease. The minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, copper and zinc) interact differently with the immune system; nevertheless, their deficiencies invariably increase the risk of mastitis occurrence in dairy cows.
  • 1.4K
  • 10 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Macrophages in Atherosclerosis Development
Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial chronic disease that has a prominent inflammatory component. Currently, atherosclerosis is regarded as an active autoimmune process that involves both innate and adaptive immune pathways. One of the drivers of this process is the presence of modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL). For instance, lipoprotein oxidation leads to the formation of oxidation-specific epitopes (OSE) that can be recognized by the immune cells. Macrophage response to OSEs is recognized as a key trigger for initiation and a stimulator of progression of the inflammatory process in the arteries. At the same time, the role of oxidized LDL components is not limited to pro-inflammatory stimulation, but includes immunoregulatory effects that can have protective functions. 
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Genus Brachystelma (Apocynaceae)
The Brachystelma genus (family: Apocynaceae) consists of geophytes that are traditionally utilised among rural communities, especially in East Africa, southern Africa, West Africa, and northern and western India. Apart from being used as a food source, they are indicated as treatment for ailments such as colds, chest pains, and wounds. This review provides a critical appraisal on the ethnobotanical uses, nutritional value, phytochemical profiles, and biological activities of Brachystelma species.
  • 1.4K
  • 16 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Three-finger Toxin
Three-finger toxins (abbreviated 3FTx) are a protein superfamily of small toxin proteins found in the venom of snakes. Three-finger toxins are in turn members of a larger superfamily of three-finger protein domains which includes non-toxic proteins that share a similar protein fold. The group is named for its common structure consisting of three beta strand loops connected to a central core containing four conserved disulfide bonds. The 3FP protein domain has no enzymatic activity and is typically between 60-74 amino acid residues long. Despite their conserved structure, three-finger toxin proteins have a wide range of pharmacological effects. Most members of the family are neurotoxins that act on cholinergic intercellular signaling; the alpha-neurotoxin family interacts with muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), the kappa-bungarotoxin family with neuronal nAChRs, and muscarinic toxins with muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs).
  • 1.4K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Cosmos DB
Azure Cosmos DB is Microsoft's proprietary globally distributed, multi-model database service "for managing data at planet-scale" launched in May 2017. It is schema-agnostic, horizontally scalable, and generally classified as a NoSQL database.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a documented process or set of procedures to recover and protect a business IT infrastructure in the event of a disaster. Such a plan, ordinarily documented in written form, specifies procedures an organization is to follow in the event of a disaster. It is "a comprehensive statement of consistent actions to be taken before, during and after a disaster". The disaster could be natural, environmental or man-made. Man-made disasters could be intentional (for example, an act of a terrorist) or unintentional (that is, accidental, such as the breakage of a man-made dam). Given organizations' increasing dependency on information technology to run their operations, a disaster recovery plan, sometimes erroneously called a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), is increasingly associated with the recovery of information technology data, assets, and facilities.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Tauopathy
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, and are characterized by intraneuronal tau inclusion in the brain and the patient’s cognitive decline with obscure pathogenesis. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, a major type of extracellular matrix, have been believed to involve in tauopathies. The heparan sulfate proteoglycans co-deposit with tau in Alzheimer’s patient brain, directly bind to tau and modulate tau secretion, internalization, and aggregation.
  • 1.4K
  • 09 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Quorum-Sensing Inhibitors from Probiotics
Experience-based knowledge has shown that bacteria can communicate with each other through a cell-density-dependent mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). QS controls specific bacterial phenotypes, such as sporulation, virulence and pathogenesis, the production of degrading enzymes, bioluminescence, swarming motility, and biofilm formation. The expression of these phenotypes in food spoiling and pathogenic bacteria, which may occur in food, can have dramatic consequences on food production, the economy, and health.
  • 1.4K
  • 23 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Reis–Bücklers Corneal Dystrophy
Corneal dystrophies are a group of non-inflammatory inherited disorders of the cornea. Reis–Bücklers corneal dystrophy (RBCD) is a bilateral and autosomal dominant disease caused by a mutation in keratoepithilin, i.e., BIGH3, also known as transforming human growth factor (TGFBI), on chromosome 5q.
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Biocatalysis
Biocatalysis is currently a workhorse used to produce a wide array of compounds, from bulk to fine chemicals, in a green and sustainable manner. The success of biocatalysis is largely thanks to an enlargement of the feasible chemical reaction toolbox. This materialized due to major advances in enzyme screening tools and methods, together with high-throughput laboratory techniques for biocatalyst optimization through enzyme engineering. Therefore, enzyme-related knowledge has significantly increased. To handle the large number of data now available, computational approaches have been gaining relevance in biocatalysis, among them machine learning methods (MLMs). MLMs use data and algorithms to learn and improve from experience automatically. 
  • 1.4K
  • 14 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Additively Manufactured Polylactic Acid in Dentistry
Additive manufacturing (AM), which is also called rapid prototyping/3D printing/layered manufacturing, can be considered as a rapid conversion between digital and physical models. One of the most used materials in AM is polylactic acid (PLA), which has advantageous material properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and nontoxicity. For many medical applications, it is considered as a leading biomaterial. In dentistry, in addition to its uses in dental models (education, teaching, simulation needs), it can be used for therapeutic objectives and tissue engineering.
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Genetics of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits
In addition to the “natural” gaits of walk, trot, and canter/gallop found in nearly all horse breeds, there are additional gaits spontaneously displayed in certain domestic horse breeds (i.e., gaited horses). All of these additional gaits are symmetrical lateral sequence gaits, i.e., possessing a footfall pattern of left hind, left front, right hind, and right front, and so can be called alternative lateral gaits. What is known about the genetics of alternative lateral gaits is explored. Studies have shown a strong correlation of gaitedness in horses with possession of the A-allele of the DMRT3 "gait keeper" gene. Horses homozygous for the A-allele are able to perform a pacing gait and sustain it at high speeds. Horses that can perform a running walk, rack, or broken pace (stepping pace) are either heterozygous or homozygous for the A-allele of the "gait keeper" gene. The A-allele of this gene functions by disrupting coordination of diagonal or contralateral limbs and allowing retention of square or "singlefoot" gaits, wherein limbs move mostly independently of each other, into intermediate speed ranges. It now seems, however, that the broken trot gait (i.e. the fox trot) is not governed by the DMRT3 gene as select horse breeds lacking the A-allele can still perform this gait.
  • 1.4K
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Applications in Climate Change
The proliferation of drone technologies has revealed new frontiers for climate change research and analysis in urban environments. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), provide scientists with unprecedented abilities to collect detailed spatial and temporal data about the built environment, enabling for more robust studies on the impacts of climate change on cities. Whereas satellite imagery was previously allowed for large-scale data accessibility, drones at present facilitate close-range data capture, monitoring, and mapping at new scales and from multiple angles.
  • 1.4K
  • 01 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Drug-Resistance of Candida glabrata
Candida glabrata is a yeast of increasing medical relevance, particularly in critically ill patients. It is the second most isolated Candida species associated with invasive candidiasis (IC) behind C. albicans. The attributed higher incidence is primarily due to an increase in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) population, cancer, and diabetic patients. The elderly population and the frequent use of indwelling medical devices are also predisposing factors.
  • 1.4K
  • 30 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Low-Rank Coal as Humic Substances
Humic substances (HS), as important environmental components, are essential to soil health and agricultural sustainability. The usage of low-rank coal (LRC) for energy generation has declined considerably due to the growing popularity of renewable energy sources and gas. However, their potential as soil amendment aimed to maintain soil quality and productivity deserves more recognition.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Jan 2022
Topic Review
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis technique. It is surface-sensitive due to its limited sampling depth, which confines the analysis only to the outer few top-layers of the material surface. This enables researchers to understand the surface composition of the sample and how the chemistry influences its interaction with the environment. 
  • 1.4K
  • 02 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Types of Liquid Crystals
The liquid-crystalline state of matter (mesomorphic state, or mesophase) is intermediate between the crystalline and liquid states, simultaneously showing some of the anisotropic properties of solids and the fluidity of liquids. In this state, materials demonstrate a tendency to flow like liquids and have some properties similar to solids. LCs may be divided into two main classes, named thermotropics and lyotropics. The importance of liquid crystals, alongside with their technical applications, lies in their role as carriers of life. In fact, fully ordered solids are a dead matter, and fully disordered liquids are also dead. But liquid crystals, as partially ordered soft matter systems, bear all qualities that had been necessary for the emergence of life. Practically all biological structures show some features pf liquid crystalline ordering. 
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Acacia Catechu Willd. for CRC
The research for innovative treatments against colon adenocarcinomas is still a great challenge. Acacia catechu Willd. heartwood extract (AC) has health-promoting qualities, especially at gastrointestinal level. This study characterized AC for its catechins content and investigates the apoptotic-enhancing effect in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells, along with its ability to spare healthy tissue. Results showed that AC  induced an increase in apoptotic cells and ROS formation, reduction in mitochondria membrane potential as well as increase in caspase-9 and -3 activity. AC did not affect rat ileum and colon rings viability and functionality, suggesting its safe profile toward healthy tissue. The present findings outline the potential of AC for colon cancer treatment.
  • 1.4K
  • 14 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Predicting Response to Immune-Checkpoint Inhibition
The therapeutic concept of unleashing a pre-existing immune response against the tumor by the application of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has resulted in long-term survival in advanced cancer patient subgroups. Established biomarkers such as programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) help to select patients who will most likely benefit from ICI, however, biomarker negativity does not exclude responses. Investigating alterations in the antigen presenting pathway as well as radiomics have the potential to determine tumor immunogenicity and response to ICI. A plethora of steps is crucial for proper tumor neoantigen presentation and T cell recognition. Alterations in the antigen presenting pathway give rise to resistance mechanisms that in turn abolish the effect of ICI. Tumor neoantigen prediction models have been shown to identify cancer patients who benefit most from immune-checkpoint blockade, however, a high false positive rate is a drawback of these models. The predictive value of already established biomarkers is considerably heterogeneous across various malignancies and intratumoral and intrapatient heterogeneity complicate tumor tissue-based biomarker assessment. Radiomics offers the opportunity to evaluate biomarkers based on imaging studies without the necessity to perform tumor tissue biopsies. Several radiomics studies have shown to predict clinical outcome with ICI. Radiomics might also help to identify patients who are at risk for hyperprogressive disease upon initiation of anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 therapy and patients who are at risk for high grade immune-related adverse events.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Food System and Circular Economy
       Circular economy can play an active role in solving the unsustainability of the food production system, contributing to the creation of shorter and more resilient supply chains. Some solutions include policy regulations driving consumption towards more sustainable choices and the reduction of food waste: “best before” labels might be scrapped, food sharing initiatives incentivized and organic waste regarded as a high-value raw-material. Bio-refineries can be the catalyst of a green transition, where food waste can generate biofuels, bio-chemicals, plastics, textiles, medicines and much more. Circular practices seem to hold the potential for a win–win solution, simultaneously enhancing sustainability throughout the entire value chain (from production to consumption and post-consumption) and improving its resilience through the introduction of localized supply chains, making the food system less dependent on international trade. The European Union is working towards this direction (as its policy and social media agenda exposes) and will hopefully accelerate the transition to meet its Green New Deal expectations.
  • 1.4K
  • 22 Oct 2020
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