Promising Research Developments Research Articles

Halide Perovskites’ Multifunctional Properties: Coordination Engineering, Coordination Chemistry, Electronic Interactions and Energy Applications beyond Photovoltaics

Halide perovskite materials have gained enormous attention for their semiconducting properties, higher power conversion efficiency and potential applications in a wide range of fields of study, along with their two key limitations: stability and toxicity. Despite great progress made on halide perovskites and many promising research developments, the issues of stability and toxicity have not been fully resolved. Therefore, the coordination engineering of a new framework to obtain alternative new halide perovskite materials and a fundamental understanding of the coordination chemistry and electronic interactions forming the structure of these newly engineered halide perovskite materials are possible ways to overcome the issues related to both stability and toxicity. In this review, we comprehensively review the current development of halide perovskite families, both lead halide perovskites and lead-free halide perovskites, followed by the coordination engineering of the new frameworks to engineer new halide perovskite materials. All concerns regarding the fundamental ideas of coordination chemistry and electronic interactions are vital in forming halide perovskite structures and thus form the main aim of this review. We also discuss recent potential energy applications beyond photovoltaics and thus answer an essential and open question, ‘what could happen in the future of halide perovskites?’ in order to excite commercial enterprises and research institutions again as well as to motivate new predictions on the future continuity of this field.

New frontiers in inflammation: from translational research to clinic (information about the 15th World Congress on Inflammation (WCI2022)).

The following provides a summary of the 15th World Congress on Inflammation (WCI2022), which took place in Rome (Italy) from June 5 to 8, 2022. Presented are the main trends and most promising research developments in the field of inflammation, including identification of cellular and molecular mechanisms and investigation of new pathogenetic pathways, target molecules, genetic mechanisms, and new therapeutic strategies. In addition, described are the primary areas of research engaged in by leading scientific groups and national societies from various countries in the field of inflammatory pathology mechanisms.

Emerging Concepts in Treating Cartilage, Osteochondral Defects, and Osteoarthritis of theKnee and Ankle.

The management and treatment of cartilage lesions, osteochondral defects, and osteoarthritis remain a challenge in orthopedics. Moreover, these entities have different behaviors in different joints, such as the knee and the ankle, which have inherent differences in function, biology, and biomechanics. There has been a huge development on the conservative treatment (new technologies including orthobiologics) as well as on the surgical approach. Some surgical development upraises from technical improvements including advanced arthroscopic techniques but also from increased knowledge arriving from basic science research and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches. This work addresses the state of the art concerning basic science comparing the knee and ankle as well as current options for treatment. Furthermore, the most promising research developments promising new options for the future are discussed.

Preface of the special issue OR: connecting sciences supported by global optimization related to the 25th European conference on operational research (EURO XXV 2012)

This volume of the Journal of Global Optimization is devoted to papers presented at the 25th European Conference on Operational Research, EURO XXV 2012, which was held on July 811, 2012, in Vilnius, Lithuania. The conference attracted 2044 registered participants from 68 countries fromall the continents across theORcommunity. ContinuousOptimizationwas one of the largest main areas in the entire conferencewith about 250 participants. They exchanged experiences in solving real-world problems, discussed recent achievements in optimization theory, methods and applications, reported on developments and implementations of appropriate models and efficient solution procedures for problems of continuous optimization. The EURO XXV 2012 conference provided an excellent forum for researchers and practitioners to promote their recent advances in continuous optimization to the wider scientific community, to identify new research challenges as well as promising research developments in theory, methods and applications and to promote interactions with colleagues from related research areas of modern OR and its emerging applications. In this spirit, this special issue is devoted to the theme connecting sciences supported by global optimization. For this special issue, participants of EURO XXV 2012 were invited to submit papers on continuous optimization and related topics. The papers included recent theoretical and applied contributions in various fields including linear, nonlinear, stochastic, parametric and dynamic optimization as well as control theory. Based on rigorous reviewing processes, six papers

Electrospun Fibers in Composite Materials for Medical Applications

The development of nanoscaled materials has deserved a remarkable interest for biomedical applications. Biological tissues are essentially composite materials with particular mechanical properties that should be carefully considered during the design of innovative biomedical scaffolds. Electrospun membranes are often found in medical applications due to its high specific surface which creates a 3D porous structure that mimics the native extracellular matrix. These electrospun membranes can also be designed to have enhanced mechanical properties, biocompatibility and cellular response making them appealing and inspiring to be used in composites materials. This paper reviews the new insights in the development of advanced nanostructured composites materials based on electrospun fibers. From tissue engineering to bioelectronics, these composite materials can be found in the most promising research developments for the medical applications.

An integrated framework of personalized medicine: from individual genomes to participatory health care

Promising research developments in both basic and applied sciences, such as genomics and participatory health care approaches, have generated widespread interest in personalized medicine among almost all scientific areas and clinicians. The term personalized medicine is, however, frequently used without defining a clear theoretical and methodological background. In addition, to date most personalized medicine approaches still lack convincing empirical evidence regarding their contribution and advantages in comparison to traditional models. Here, we propose that personalized medicine can only fulfill the promise of optimizing our health care system by an interdisciplinary and translational view that extends beyond traditional diagnostic and classification systems.

New evidence for nicotinic acid treatment to reduce atherosclerosis

Nicotinic acid (at a daily dose of grams) has been shown to induce potent antiatherosclerotic effects in human and animal models. Evidence from clinical studies performed in the 1950s has shown that nicotinic acid treatment remarkably improves the plasma lipid profile. Large clinical studies showed that nicotinic acid improves clinical cardiovascular outcomes. Given the protective effects of niacin, basic research studies were designed to explore additional antiatherosclerotic pathways, such as those involved in cardiovascular inflammation. After the discovery of the nicotinic acid receptor GPR109A on adipocytes and immune cells, novel direct immunomodulatory properties of nicotinic acid have been identified. Importantly, the regulation of the release of inflammatory mediators from adipose tissue was observed, independent of lipid level amelioration. Less is known about the possible direct anti-inflammatory activities of nicotinic acid in other cells (such as hepatocytes, endothelial and vascular cells) previously indicated as key players in atherogenesis. Thus, further studies are needed to clarify this promising topic. Emerging evidence from clinical and basic research studies indicates that novel direct antiatherosclerotic properties might mediate nicotinic acid-induced cardiovascular protection. Despite some limitations in its clinical use (mainly due to the incidence of adverse events, such as cutaneous flushing and hepatotoxicity), nicotinic acid should be considered as a very potent therapeutic approach to reduce atherosclerosis. Promising research developments are warranted in the near future.

Diabetes and dementia: a common link or coincidental coexistence?

Both diabetes and dementia are common problems effecting the elderly population. Often these two conditions coexist. Over the last 15 years is has been suggested that they are linked and a mechanism has been sought. In this Dance Round article, evidence available from Medline searches stretching from the laboratory bench to the meta-analysis of clinical trials is reviewed. This evidence shows us a link may well exist, leading some to suggest Alzheimer's disease is a third type of diabetes, but despite some promising research developments, the precise nature of this connection at present eludes us and provides as many questions for us to ponder as is does answers for us to consider. Biomedical Reviews 2007; 18: 59-64.

Beyond the River: New Perspectives on Transeuphratene

Beyond the River: New Perspectives on Transeuphratene, by josette Elayi and jean Sapin. JSOTSup 250. Trans. J. Edward Crowley. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998. Pp. 191.235.00/$58.00. This programmatic book, an earlier version of which was published in 1991 (Nouveaux regards sur la Transeuphratene), makes the case for the application of a new interdisciplinary approach to the study of ancient Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, and Cyprus during the Persian period. Because the work is a kind of scholarly manifesto, the authors do not attempt to provide either a complete survey of past research or a summation of the most exciting discoveries in the area. Instead, Elayi and Sapin stress a number of theoretical considerations that can be brought to bear on the study of the Transeuphratene region. Traditionally, three major disciplines have had a stake in the study of the Transeuphratene region during the Persian period: classics, biblical studies, and ancient Near Eastern (Achaemenid) studies. In their opening chapter, the authors level a series of severe criticisms of the compartmentalization represented by these three separate fields of study. They are particularly critical of the neglect of the Persian period in traditional biblical scholarship and the fixation on earlier periods in Syro-palestinian archaeology. What Elayi and Sapin call for is not simply a conversation among scholars in classics, biblical studies, and ancient Near Eastern studies, but also the creation of new research initiatives designed to address a series of important developments during the Persian period: the introduction of coinage and the coin economy, the emergence of city-states similar to the Greek polls, the growing use of and dependence on mercenary armies, the various kinds of trade between local cultures, and the opening up of the western fringe of the Achaemenid empire to the Greek world. The argument for fresh thinking and new approaches is a good one, but it is pursued in a sequence of very different chapters. One chapter is devoted to the use of computers, in particular the development of data bases and the emergence of new techniques in data analysis, Two chapters are devoted to recent advances in archaeology. Elayi and Sapin point to archaeological surveys, spatial archaeology or geo-archaeology, and coastal archaeology as particularly promising developments. They also call for, quite sensibly in my judgment, the complementary use of tel archaeology and archaeological surveys to reconstruct the material history of the region. A separate chapter focuses upon new directions in epigraphy. Here, the authors call attention to the detailed study of non-monumental inscriptions, the diffusion of writing in the Persian period, and recent analyses of the relationships between writing and cultural integration. Reading the ancient textual sources in a different way is the topic of the seventh chapter. As examples of (re)reading sources, the authors propose asking new questions of the classical materials and analyzing the later books of the Hebrew Bible within their broader social contexts in the Achaemenid empire. If literary texts constitute part of the written remains from the Achaemenid period, pottery constitutes part of the material remains from the same. Elayi and Sapin wish to see more study of international trade, including analysis of the diffusion of pottery as a means to understand larger trading patterns and economic activities. Coins and the development of a cash economy also require much more intensive scrutiny. Within the Transeuphratene region, the authors think that the commercial use of coinage was largely limited to trade within Phoenician cities and was nonexistent in the case of external trade. Even internally within the Phoenician cities, the authors argue that older systems of exchange survived and did not disappear completely. Elayi and Sapin think that one of the most promising research developments in the study of the Transeuphratene is historical sociology. …

Intrathoracic neoplasms other than bronchogenic carcinoma.

Intrathoracic neoplasms other than bronchogenic carcinoma comprise a disparate group of tumors that have in common an anatomic location within the thorax. For the purposes of this review, they are divided into three categories: pulmonary metastases from locations other than the thorax, mediastinal neoplasms, and unusual primary lung neoplasms. This article reviews the recent literature; discusses evolving strategies for imaging, diagnosis, and treatment; and presents promising research developments.