Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae: fighting mutants
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria causing an infection survive after being exposed to a drug that, under normal conditions, would kill it or inhibit its growth. As a result, this surviving strains multiply and spread due to
Intestinal inflammation mediated by silver nanoparticles is prevented by dietary flavonoids
The interest in silver nanoparticles (AgNP) has been growing exponentially around the world, due to their unique physical, chemical and biological properties, as evidenced by their wide application in numerous products of our daily lives. In fact,
The complex regulation and functional significance of size diversity in social bees
Across animals, variation in body size is often influenced by environmental conditions and is considered to have adaptive value. In bees, in which many species show various degrees of sociality, body size may also be associated with
Orexin-A regulates dopamine D2 receptor in the mesolimbic circuit
Orexin-A (orx-A) is a neuropeptide expressed exclusively in hypothalamic neurons. Orx-A acts through the activation of type-1 (Orx1R) and -2 (Orx2R) receptors present in the mesolimbic circuit and in other brain areas. These neuropeptides have been implicated
L-Mesitran Medical Grade Honey works better for treating cold sores than conventional treatments
In a recent clinical study, it was shown that L-Mesitran improves the healing time of cold sores in relation to conventional treatments. In addition, pain and itching were decreased. Cold sores are blisters around the nose and
Magnetic chitosan hydrogel: a good choice for hyperthermia application
Hydrogels as three-dimensional polymeric networks have been of longstanding interest due to their biocompatibility, hydrophilic nature, desired functionality, high elasticity, and superb capacities for retaining large amount of water and other biological fluids. According to the unprecedented
2-in-1: A new strategy against Parkinson´s Disease
Parkinson´s disease is a neurological disorder, which affects around 6 mio people worldwide, a number being expected to double within the next 20 years. It is characterized by a progressive loss of neuronal cells in the brain
The Neuromuscular Junction: a core interpreter in the nerve-muscle dialog
Muscle and nerve communicate at the level of a specialized region, namely the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a synaptic connection where the peripheral nervous system contacts skeletal muscle fibers, governing crucial vital processes, such as body voluntary movements
Can RNA therapeutics help spinal cord injury treatments?
In the central nervous system (CNS) nerve regeneration is severely hampered making recovery from lesions such as spinal cord injury (SCI) extremely difficult and one of the most formidable challenges for regenerative medicine. So far, there are
Neutrophil extracellular traps initiate gallstone formation
The presence of gallstones is a highly prevalent, painful, and devastating disease. It is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions worldwide. Super-saturation and precipitation of calcium salts has long been considered the reasons for stones
Purification and characterization of a better-behaved Alzheimer’s disease protein
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an incurable disease that causes memory, reasoning and thinking to deteriorate over time. AD is marked by brain atrophy and plaque-like deposits of a small peptide called amyloid beta (Aß) outside of brain
A novel gene controlling tiller development in barley
Tillering or branching is an important agronomic trait closely related to crop yield. It is well documented that the yield of cereal crops, including wheat, rice and barley can be improved by manipulating tillering. The “Green Revolution,”
Excess nutrients cause environmental deterioration in the Bohai Sea, China
The introduction of excess nutrients (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) to coastal areas can have a series of impacts. One of the most common is eutrophication—the enrichment of water with surplus nutrients, which accelerates the growth of algae.
Role of AMPK and PKA pathways in chicken spermatozoa functions
Spermatozoa functions include delicate and high energy consuming processes like motility and the ability to perform acrosome reaction, i.e. the fusion of the spermatozoa head cytoplasmic membrane and the underlying outer acrosomal membrane, so that the acrosome
Selenium: mercury ratio in the whale shark from the Gulf of California
Mercury (Hg) is one of the main toxic pollutants, which is released into the environment from natural and anthropogenic activities. In contrast, selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient, which is required for growth and development. The uptake
The stress of dieting: what a rat model may tell us about weight loss in women
In the United States, obesity and concomitant diseases such as hypertension and diabetes have soared in older adults—and obesity is especially pronounced in women after menopause. Numerous strategies are used to combat excess weight, with the most
Why do some people self-harm under distress? Harvard study suggests impulse control is key
Self-harm, or non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), refers to people intentionally hurting themselves without intending suicide. Common examples include cutting, burning, or hitting oneself. A growing number of adolescents and young adults report NSSI – yet most have no
Orexin signaling promotes initial alcohol consumption
Orexins (orexin-A, orx-A and orexin-B, orx-B) are neuropeptides expressed exclusively in hypothalamic neurons of the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area. They mediate their effects through activation of two G-protein coupled receptors, the orexin-1-receptor (Orx1R) and orexin-2-receptor (Orx2R).
Bioinspiration on the lotus leaf surface to develop hydrophobic films
The production and application of synthetic materials in food packaging has grown quickly over the past few decades, resulting in serious environmental concerns due to the resistance to degradation of these synthetic materials. In recent years, the
Plant digestive juice: replenish or not?
Carnivorous tropical pitcher plants from the genus Nepenthes produce elaborate pitcher organs with digestive glands to trap and digest insect prey in nitrogen poor soil. The content of pitcher fluids has been the focus of many studies,
