ABSTRACT
While RNA folding was originally seen as a simple problem to solve, it has been shown that the promiscuous interactions of the nucleobases result in structural polymorphism, with several competing structures generally observed for non-coding RNA. This inherent complexity limits our understanding of these molecules from experiments alone, and computational methods are commonly used to study RNA. Here, we discuss three advanced sampling schemes, namely Hamiltonian-replica exchange molecular dynamics (MD), ratchet-and-pawl MD and discrete path sampling, as well as the HiRE-RNA coarse-graining scheme, and highlight how these approaches are complementary with reference to recent case studies. While all computational methods have their shortcomings, the plurality of simulation methods leads to a better understanding of experimental findings and can inform and guide experimental work on RNA polymorphism.Copyright ©
ABSTRACT
Objective and interest of the work: This study focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in the tourism sector to improve the consumer experience in a significant way through the work developed by different organizations to increase social innovation. The objective of the study is, on the one hand, to present an analysis of the literature to determine good practices in the sector, and on the other hand, to analyze data about the tourism sector based on models of collaboration between Administration, Universities and the State to promote innovation in the commitment to sustainable models. Methodology design: S e conducted an analysis of experiences that demonstrate the existence of collaborative practices promoted by different public and private institutions to promote the use of technology in the tourism sector. A compilation of secondary sources was carried out to gather information on these initiatives. Results: The work shows that the topic is of interest to the scientific community and compiles the practices in Spain linked to the interest of organizations that are committed to new initiatives that help the competitiveness of tourism in Spain, with the use of artificial intelligence in the reality of the sector being incipient. Practical implications: New trends in technology are being applied in the growing and sustainable recovery of tourism over the long term in the wake of the numbers left by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the fruit of a new school of thought that emphasizes cooperation for social progress.
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The outbreak of COVID-19 confronted the international community with critical health, social, and economic challenges. Travel and tourism were among the hardest affected sectors. In 2020 and 2021 new travel trends emerged, emphasizing local destinations, short distances, and consequently, lower-carbon transportation (proximity tourism). Post-pandemic recovery represents an opportunity to bounce back better by rethinking the sector's economic model for the sake of sustainability and innovation. This paper disseminates the research that led to the structuring of guidelines for a breakthrough and inclusive municipal-level action plan for the promotion of sustainable tourism, as part of the Tourism Friendly Cities project. An operational methodology is discussed here, whereby key stakeholder participation, conceptualized through a sextuple helix model, is the foundation of the planning process. A small-scale action and a qualitative assessment tool of the participatory process are also illustrated. The proposed methodology corroborates the vast positive effects deriving from stakeholder participation in terms of trust, ownership, planning quality, innovativeness and sustainability of interventions. In applying the methodology, although the digital framework was evaluated positively in terms of the number of participants that could be involved, data collection, and confidentiality of activities, the evaluation shows that hybrid modes of participation are more desirable.
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Science and technology parks (STPs) are curated locations where new technology-based firms (NTBFs) and other SMEs and firms can conglomerate and promote a culture of innovation. Overall, the aim is to construct a sustainable high-value tech entrepreneurship ecosystem, and to this end we present here some recent and novel concepts derived from approaches using a data-driven statistical foundation. This paper considers studies on the organic growth of young start-up science and technology parks by authors who have used big data, econometric analyses, panel data and computer simulations. The results and concepts are derived from industrialized countries, notably Sweden and the UK, and may well be applicable to many regions and emerging economies. The findings are of interest to regional development, technology entrepreneurs considering choosing an STP to inhabit, as well as those in STP central teams, specializing in management and enterprise development, including the sustainable growth of new parks.
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Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are among the emerging selenium supplements because of their high bioactivity and low toxicity. However, bare SeNPs are prone to activity loss caused by aggregation and sedimentation. This study aims to stabilize SeNPs with curdlan (CUR), a polysaccharide, to maintain or even enhance their biological activity. Herein, the stable SeNPs were constructed via the unique conformational transition of CUR induced by alkali-neutralization (AN) pretreatment. The physicochemical properties and structures of the prepared SeNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and free-radical-scavenging activity assays. The results show that most SeNPs are stabilized within the triple helix of CUR that has been pretreated with high-intensity AN treatment. These amorphous, small-sized (average size was 53.6 ± 17.7 nm), and stabilized SeNPs have significantly enhanced free-radical-scavenging ability compared to the control and can be well-stabilized for at least 240 days at 4 °C. This work indicates that CUR, as a food additive, can be used to well-stabilize SeNPs by AN pretreatment and provides a facile method to prepare and enhance the stability and bioactivity of SeNPs via triple-helix conformational transition.
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Precision Medicine is one of the most impactful global opportunities in healthcare. We can debate the name, whether it is precision, stratified or personal but at the highest strategic level, we all share a common goal to enable a world where healthcare is informed by each person unique clinical, molecular and lifestyle information. Precision Medicine will spur a revolution in healthcare, bringing the prospects of earlier, pre-symptomatic diagnosis, more effective treatment, significant cost savings for the NHS and all the above combined with better patient outcomes. Moreover, Precision Medicine will reach the global market value of £134 billion by 2025 thus contributing to unprecedented developments in Life Sciences industry, including new jobs creation, and a significant economic growth. The UK is in a prime position to lead on Precision Medicine globally due to the NHS facilitating advanced health data management, excellent genomics and other omics, new imaging modalities and major advances in the artificial intelligence applied to diagnostics. All the above is supported by the triple helix approach, which involves close collaborations among academic researchers, the NHS and industry. The Covid-19 pandemic has made a major contribution to the UK molecular diagnostic capability. This legacy includes very high throughput laboratories, which should become key building blocks for the UK cutting edge Precision Medicine strategy for the next decade and beyond.
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Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research – Volume 24 / issue 2 / 2022 provides a venue for high-quality research works of academics and researchers from worldwide, such as the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Armenia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, or the United Arab Emirates. In this issue, new challenging research questions arise in the Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research areas of coverage - Economics and Business Research, Marketing and Innovation Management Dynamics, New economy models, Social Innovation, Global Challenges, and Interdisciplinary Research in Social Sciences. © 2022, The authors.
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This paper refers to the current energy situation in the European Union (EU) countries with a particular focus on energy produced from renewable energy sources and coal – sources that provide opportunities for balancing the energy of the region. The strengths and weaknesses of coal mining in Poland were also identified, along with its opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). Innovative and sustainable development based on the Triple Helix Model (THM), as well as the Open innovation (OI) concept and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles were identified as opportunities for its sustainable development. The combination of these solutions should enable sustainable development of the industry, preserving its economic and social importance and reducing its negative impact on the environment. The use of new clean technologies in the operation and combustion of coal should reduce emissions of harmful substances into the environment. Intensive and government-supported cooperation between the scientific and research community and industry should significantly facilitate these processes. Another aspect important for the changes to be introduced is the social factor, for which the current situation represents an opportunity to preserve jobs in the mining industry, but also a challenge for its sustainable development. These seemingly mutually exclusive elements should form the basis of a new opening for Polish and European mining as an innovative industry based on knowledge and preserving the basic principles of ESG. The paper also outlines the most significant challenges facing the Polish mining industry on its way to innovative development. The article provides a new and relevant to the current reality perspective on the Polish mining industry in the context of the entire EU, for which the current geopolitical situation forces the necessity of setting a new direction of development. The geopolitical changes that have recently taken place in the global economy such as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and the armed conflict within Ukraine have caused very great turbulence in the energy market. Enthusiasm and uncritical adoption of green concepts in the EU has caused, along with the reduction of gas and coal imports from Russia, turbulence in the energy market. This situation has created a great opportunity for the development of the mining industry in Poland, which has not yet managed, following the example of other EU countries, to extinguish the industry. In order to take advantage of this opportunity and obtain a permanent place in the energy mix in the EU, it is necessary to rapidly develop the mining industry in a sustainable manner based on innovative solutions.
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In this work, we constructed an exonuclease III cleavage reaction-based isothermal amplification of nucleic acids with CRISPR/Cas12a-mediated pH-induced regenerative Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for ultrasensitive and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. The triple-stranded nucleic acid in this biosensor has an extreme dependence on pH, which makes our constructed biosensor reproducible. This is essential for effective large-scale screening of SARS-CoV-2 in areas where resources are currently relatively scarce. Using this pH-induced regenerative biosensor, we detected the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene with a detection limit of 43.70 aM. In addition, the detection system has good stability and reproducibility, and we expect that this method may provide a potential platform for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Initial successes in developing small molecule ligands for non-coding RNAs have underscored their potential as therapeutic targets. More recently, these successes have been aided by advances in biophysical and structural techniques for identification and characterization of more complex RNA structures; these higher-level folds present protein-like binding pockets that offer opportunities to design small molecules that could achieve a degree of selectivity often hard to obtain at the primary and secondary structure level. More specifically, identification and small molecule targeting of RNA tertiary and quaternary structures have allowed researchers to probe several human diseases and have resulted in promising clinical candidates. In this review we highlight a selection of diverse and exciting successes and the experimental approaches that led to their discovery. These studies include examples of recent developments in RNA-centric assays and ligands that provide insight into the features responsible for the affinity and biological outcome of RNA-targeted chemical probes. This report highlights the potential and emerging opportunities to selectively target RNA tertiary and quaternary structures as a route to better understand and, ultimately, treat many diseases.