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Topic Review
Innovative Application of Metallic PCMs in Metal Casting
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are materials that release or absorb sufficient latent heat at a constant temperature or a relatively narrow temperature range during their solid/liquid transformation to be used for heating or cooling purposes. Although the use of PCMs has increased significantly in recent years, their major applications are limited to Latent Heat Storage (LHS) applications, especially in solar energy systems and buildings. Metallic PCMs appear to be the best alternative to salts and organic materials due to their high conductivity, high latent heat storage capacity and wide-ranging phase change temperature. Recent studies indicate that besides their conventional applications, metallic PCMs can be used in casting design to control the solidification microstructure as well as the feedability and defect formation in castings. Use of metallic PCM-fitted chillers is believed to open new horizons in smart control of the casting structure.
  • 1.4K
  • 23 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Dendrimer Nanodevices and Gallic Acid
Human neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric tumor inclined to relapse, after an initial response to therapy, usually develops resistance. Since several chemotherapeutics, including the weel known etoposide (ETO), exert anticancer effect by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), NB cells overproduce antioxidant compounds becoming drugs-resistant. Moreover, ETO, although widely used, suffers from fast metabolism, poor solubility and systemic toxicity, that limit its administration dosage and its therapeutic efficiency. An appealing strategy to sensitize NB cells to chemotherapy involves the use of less toxic natural compounds able to reduce antioxidant defenses of NB cells and to induce ROS overproduction. In this contest, although affected by several issues as instability and poor absorbability, antioxidant/pro-oxidant polyphenols, such as gallic acid (GA), showed pro-oxidant anti-cancer effects and low toxicity for healthy cells, in several kind of tumors, not including NB. Herein, for the first time, free GA, two GA-dendrimers, and the dendrimer adopted as GA reservoir were tested on both sensitive and chemoresistant NB cells. Furthermore, the dendrimer adopted as carrier for GA was exploited also for entrapping and protecting ETO and for enhancing its solubility and effectiveness.The dendrimer device induced ROS-mediated death both in sensitive NB cells and also in chemoresistant ones. Free GA proved a dose-dependent ROS-mediated cytotoxicity on both cell populations. Intriguingly, when administered in dendrimer formulations at a dose not cytotoxic for NB cells, GA nullified any pro-oxidant activity of dendrimer. Unfortunately, due to GA, nanoformulations were inactive on NB cells, but GA resized in nanoparticles showed considerable ability in counteracting, at low dose, ROS production and oxidative stress, herein induced by the dendrimer. Interestingly, the ETO-dendrimer showed a synergistic action, controlled released over time with a significantly improved drug bioactivity, representing a novel biodegradable and promising device for the delivery of ETO into NB cells.
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Information Society, Electronics and AI
This entry presents relations between information society (IS), electronics and artificial intelligence (AI) mainly through twenty-four IS laws. The laws not only make up a novel collection, currently non-existing in the literature, but they also highlight the core boosting mechanism for the progress of what is called the information society and AI. The laws mainly describe the exponential growth in a particular field, be it the processing, storage or transmission capabilities of electronic devices. Other rules describe the relations to production prices and human interaction. Overall, the IS laws illustrate the most recent and most vibrant part of human history based on the unprecedented growth of device capabilities spurred by human innovation and ingenuity. Although there are signs of stalling, at the same time there are still many ways to prolong the fascinating progress of electronics that stimulates the field of artificial intelligence. There are constant leaps in new areas, such as the perception of real-world signals, where AI is already occasionally exceeding human capabilities and will do so even more in the future. In some areas where AI is presumed to be incapable of performing even at a modest level, such as the production of art or programming software, AI is making progress that can sometimes reflect true human skills. Maybe it is time for AI to boost the progress of electronics in return.
  • 1.4K
  • 08 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Dam-Foetus Interaction
Dam-foetus interaction through the placenta guarantees the survival of the foetus.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Action of Cardiac Glycosides
Cardiac glycosides are natural sterols and constitute a group of secondary metabolites isolated from plants and animals.
  • 1.4K
  • 31 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells
Adult neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) contribute to learning, memory, maintenance of homeostasis, energy metabolism and many other essential processes. They are highly heterogeneous populations that require input from a regionally distinct microenvironment including a mix of neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, ependymal cells, NG2+ glia, vasculature, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and others. The diversity of NSPCs is present in all three major parts of the CNS, i.e., the brain, spinal cord, and retina. Intrinsic and extrinsic signals, e.g., neurotrophic and growth factors, master transcription factors, and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM), collectively regulate activities and characteristics of NSPCs: quiescence/survival, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and integration.
  • 1.4K
  • 03 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia
Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia (LGLL) represents about 2–5% of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders and predominantly affects the elderly (median age at diagnosis 66 years). Although the reported incidence is around 0.2 cases/1,000,000, the true prevalence may be much higher due to a large proportion of indolent, undiagnosed cases and, often, an inability to distinguish it from reactive cytotoxic T-cells (CTL) lymphoproliferation. The majority of LGLL cases are of the T subtype (i.e., derived from CTL), whereas only <10% are of natural killer (NK) cells origin.
  • 1.4K
  • 26 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Asymmetric Cell Division
Asymmetric cell division (ACD) of neural stem cells and progenitors not only renews the stem cell population but also ensures the normal development of the nervous system, producing various types of neurons with different shapes and functions in the brain. One major mechanism to achieve ACD is the asymmetric localization and uneven segregation of intracellular proteins and organelles into sibling cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) provides a potential mechanism for the formation of membrane-less biomolecular condensates that are asymmetrically distributed on limited membrane regions. Moreover, mechanical forces have emerged as pivotal regulators of asymmetric neural stem cell division by generating sibling cell size asymmetry. In this review, we will summarize recent discoveries of ACD mechanisms driven by LLPS and mechanical forces.
  • 1.4K
  • 03 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Mushrooms for Soil Improvement
The main fields in which mushroom cultivation could improve soil quality may include (1) soil erosion control, (2) improving soil aggregates, (3) increasing soil organic matter, (4) enhancing soil nutrition, (5) promoting C, and NPK cycling, and (6) the bioremediation of polluted soils.
  • 1.4K
  • 13 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Long COVID in the Nervous System
Long COVID is a term coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) to describe a variety of persistent symptoms after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long COVID has been demonstrated to affect various SARS-CoV-2-infected persons, independently of the acute disease severity.
  • 1.4K
  • 11 May 2022
Topic Review
Applications of Electrosorption Technology in Water Treatment
The salt removal from water by using electrosorption has been studied since 1960s, and the application of this technology began in the mid-1990s when Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed the first set of electrosorption application devices in 1996.
  • 1.4K
  • 19 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Metabolic flexibility and Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in clinical practice, is characterized by irregular contractions of atrial cardiomyocytes. AF causes substantial disability and morbidity with a high risk of heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke, and has exerted a tremendous burden on society, the health care system, and the economy. Metabolic flexibility is a novel concept that aptly describes switches in substrate metabolism depending on availability and requirements, thus coping with the dramatic fluctuations in energy supply and demand under physiological and pathological stimuli. Metabolic flexibility is critical for normal heart function, as it provides sufficient energy when the rapid and irregular contraction of atrial cardiomyocytes occurs during AF. 
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Photocatalytic Oxidation of Methane to Methanol
Methane is one of the promising alternatives to non-renewable petroleum resources since it can be transformed into added-value hydrocarbon feedstocks through suitable reactions. The conversion of methane to methanol with a higher chemical value has recently attracted much attention. The selective oxidation of methane to methanol is often considered a “holy grail” reaction in catalysis. However, methanol production through the thermal catalytic process is thermodynamically and economically unfavorable due to its high energy consumption, low catalyst stability, and complex reactor maintenance. Photocatalytic technology offers great potential to carry out unfavorable reactions under mild conditions. Many in-depth studies have been carried out on the photocatalytic conversion of methane to methanol. 
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Webby Award
A Webby Award is an award for excellence on the Internet presented annually by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a judging body composed of over two thousand industry experts and technology innovators. Categories include websites, advertising and media, online film and video, mobile sites and apps, and social. Two winners are selected in each category, one by members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, and one by the public who cast their votes during Webby People’s Voice voting. Each winner presents a five-word acceptance speech, a trademark of the annual awards show. Hailed as the "Internet’s highest honor," the award is one of the oldest Internet-oriented awards, and is associated with the phrase "The Oscars of the Internet."
  • 1.4K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D Viruses
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) are highly prevalent viruses estimated to infect approximately 300 million people and 12–72 million people worldwide, respectively. HDV requires the HBV envelope to establish a successful infection. Concurrent infection with HBV and HDV can result in more severe disease outcomes than infection with HBV alone. These viruses can cause significant hepatic disease, including cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and represent a significant cause of global mortality.
  • 1.4K
  • 26 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Practical Application of 3D Printing for Pharmaceuticals
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an unrivaled technique that uses computer-aided design and programming to create 3D products by stacking materials on a substrate. 3D printing technology is used in the whole drug development process, from preclinical research to clinical trials to frontline medical treatment. From 2009 to 2020, the number of research articles on 3D printing in healthcare applications surged from around 10 to 2000. Three-dimensional printing technology has been applied to several kinds of drug delivery systems, such as oral controlled release systems, micropills, microchips, implants, microneedles, rapid dissolving tablets, and multiphase release dosage forms. 
  • 1.4K
  • 13 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Africa Vaccine Technology Transfer
The rampant spread of the COVID-19 infection poses a grave and formidable challenge to global healthcare, with particular concern to the inhabitants of the African continent. In response to these pressing concerns, different strategies have been employed to combat the emergence of this insidious disease, encompassing crucial measures such as physical distancing, the utilization of face masks, meticulous hand hygiene, and widespread vaccination campaigns.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Social Norm
Social norms are societal expectations and guidelines regarding acceptable behavior, beliefs, and values within a given culture or community. These norms dictate appropriate conduct in various social contexts, shaping individuals' interactions, attitudes, and decisions. Social norms are enforced through informal mechanisms, such as social approval, peer pressure, and conformity, and serve to maintain social order, cohesion, and stability within societies.
  • 1.4K
  • 26 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Natural Compound Berberine
Accumulation of misfolded proteins is a common hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) which results from a failure or an impairment of the protein quality control (PQC) system. The PQC system is composed by chaperones and the degradative systems (proteasome and autophagy). Misfolded proteins are potentially neurotoxic, thus strategies aimed at preventing their aggregation or enhancing their clearance are emerging as interesting therapeutic targets for NDs. We tested the natural alkaloid berberine (BBR) and some derivatives (NAXs) for their capability to enhance misfolded proteins clearance in cell models of NDs. We found that both BBR and its semisynthetic derivatives promoted proteasomal degradation of mutant androgen receptor (ARpolyQ) causative of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, preventing its aggregation. Overlapping effects were observed on other misfolded proteins causative of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal-lobar degeneration or Huntington disease, but with selective and specific action against each different mutant protein. BBR and NAX compounds induce the clearance of misfolded proteins responsible for NDs, representing potential therapeutic tools to counteract these fatal disorders.  
  • 1.4K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, also known as red sage, is a valued herbal plant in the traditional medicine in Korea, China and Japan. It is called as Dansam in Korea, Danshen in China. It is well known for its highly medicinal properties in treating of heart and vascular diseases, chronic renal failure, Alzheimer’s disease, hepatitis and so forth. Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. 
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Sep 2021
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