Yearly Archives: 2015
Sugar induces sleep by activating the neurons responsible for sleep onset
Contrary to what one might think, sugar promotes sleepiness and not hyperactivity. There may be a good reason to sleep after a high-sugar meal. That is the conclusion of a new study published by neuroscientists at ESPCI
Heart compression by the liver; a rare surgical disease
Elevation of the diaphragm “the primary respiratory muscle” can occur due to congenital or acquired causes. Diaphragmatic eventration is a congenital elevation of the diaphragm due to maldevelopment of the muscle fibers which are replaced by fibrous
A new type of mycovirus
Virus infects Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungus that can cause the human disease aspergillosis Researchers, led by Dr Robert Coutts, Leverhulme Research Fellow from the School of Life and Medical Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire, and Dr
How does the brain coordinate movement?
Suppose you are sitting in a chair and decide to stand up and walk across the room to switch on the light. How does the brain work out what muscles to contract, by how much and in
Protecting ideas when a principal investigator changes
Financial support provided by research grants are required to perform research. Without grant support many projects would simply be impossible to undertake. Due to limited availability of research funds, obtaining an independent research grant is highly competitive
A genetic switch for your health
We all have heard that reducing your caloric intake improves your health and may even extend your life. A fascinating aspect of calorie restriction is that it has similar beneficial effects in virtually all animal species tested.
A new approach in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery
Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer has been increasingly performed worldwide because it is less invasive and has superior cosmesis with good surgical outcomes. However, laparoscopic surgery is sometimes excluded as an option for some patients with colorectal
What happens when quick-response code meets with glucose sensing?
Today, diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia severely harm human health and daily life. For example, the diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and of early death. However, conventional glucose sensors containing spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry, liquid chromatography and flow
Teledermatology improves patient access to specialist care in New Zealand
Teledermatology is the use of a cell phone or computer to provide dermatologic services. A patient or his or her healthcare provider can receive advice on the diagnosis and management of their skin condition while never seeing
Development of anti-atherosclerotic drugs on the basis of cell models or how to make the elderly pay for placebos
The large research series has become internationally known in 1986 after a publication by the ex-Soviet minister of health as the first author and continues until today. In brief, cell cultures have been used for evaluation of
How best to use the momentum of EXPO to improve our food environment? A story to be explained to our children!
In the past 6 months ( May – October 2015 ) EXPO challenged us with the exposition “ Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”. The Zero Pavilion, the UN Pavilion, located at the exposition entrance, impressed its
Testosterone boosts aggression? Well, it depends who you are!
The sex hormone testosterone is mainly produced in the testes and has been traditionally linked to aggressive behavior, not only in humans but also in other animals. In birds, testosterone is involved in regulating aggressive behavior during
Clinical long-term outcome and reinterventional rate after uterine fibroid embolization
Uterus fibroid presents the most frequent benign gynecological tumor. Almost 40 – 50% of women have fibroids during the life. In about 25 – 30% of a woman, fibroids are symptomatic and can cause, frequent bleeding, pain
Treatment sequencing in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer
The treatment of metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has been rapidly advancing. Years of research effort have culminated, in the approvals of five active agents that prolong patient survival. However, as a practicing clinician, I and
Improved prediction of accessible surface area
Protein consists of a linear chain of amino acid residues connected by peptide bond. Protein performs an array of functions by its three dimensional (3D) shapes or structures and the shape can be determined from its one
A small RNA, microRNA-155, “micromanages” inflammation and renewal of neurons in the brain
The immune system is like a silent army, protecting the body from enemy viruses and bacteria. Inflammation is part of this response, acting to eliminate pathogens and initiate tissue repair. Most of the time, our immune systems
Crude glycerin, byproduct from biofuel, improved quality of lamb meat
Crude glycerin is a byproduct from biodiesel industry with potential to replace corn in ruminant diet, as an energy source. It provides a substrate that increases the availability of carbon for fatty acid synthesis. Therefore, the substitution
How did new species arise?
How did new ways of life and new adaptations to the surroundings evolve in our early ancestors? And how did new species arise? These questions are at the heart of understanding the evolutionary origin of our species
Archaeological surprise! Lucy has company
One of the most remarkable discoveries in the human fossil record is an Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton nicknamed Lucy dated to 3.2 million years before present. Discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson and his colleagues, the skeleton
Small molecule antagonists maintain stem cell potency
The decision for a stem cell to make an exact copy of itself and maintain the same level of potency versus initiate a differentiation program is critical both during development and normal tissue maintenance. CBP and p300
