Yearly Archives: 2015
Making a better mouse model to understand the pathogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus infection
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the number one cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States. RSV infection is very common, with all children infected with this virus at least once by two years of age. Severe
Chemesthesis affects taste
The sensations of taste, which are divisible into several distinct qualities: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami, and possibly fatty, play an important role for accepting or rejecting food and serve to protect us from ingesting harmful substances,
A small step closer to a save new antibiotic
An important fundament of our so called modern medicine are substances that are save for humans to take but deadly for bacteria. They are known as antibiotics. Interestingly, most of these have their origin in microbes, using
Maternal diabetes negatively affects the development of embryonic heart
Diabetes in pregnancy may negatively affect the developing fetus, neonate, and child. Poorly controlled maternal hyperglycemia before conception and during the first trimester is associated with an increased rate of major birth defects and spontaneous abortion. Cardiovascular
Topical administration of an antimicrobial peptide as a new strategy for improved burn wound healing
Burn wounds represent a major global concern, as more than 100 million people worldwide are estimated to experience burn injuries every year. These may be caused upon exposure to heat, radiation, chemicals or electric shocks, often resulting
How do microorganisms survive in extreme conditions?
You may have taught how extreme regions like glaciers, mountains, and deep oceans are habitats for many organisms including bacteria, archaea, algae, and yeasts as well as glaciers ice worms, plants and animals. These organisms survive in
Septo-hippocampal signal processing
If we are ultimately to uncover how the brain encodes the information about the surrounding environment it is necessary to understand how the spatial signals are being processed and regulated. The hippocampal region plays a crucial role
Detecting anthrax in the palm of your hand: applications of a smartphone microscope
Bacillus anthracis is a bacterial pathogen that causes the disease anthrax. In 2001, B. anthracis was used in a bioterrorism attack in the United States that resulted in 22 individuals becoming infected, 5 of whom died as
How do neurons develop and regenerate?
Identifying how neurons form a functioning network provides the background for knowing how to manage, treat, and prevent neurological disorders, as well as promote healing after injury to the nervous system. NICHD researchers uncovered a new pathway
The amount of impaction and loss of reduction in osteoporotic proximal humeral fractures after surgery
More than 90% of proximal humerus fractures affect the elderly. Thus, we should understand that these are osteoporotic fractures. We can imagine the proximal humerus of the elderly as an egg shell, a broken egg shell. Fixation
Delaying surgery for IBD patients may have grave consequences
When discussing a proposed therapy for any illness, patients undoubtedly, and understandably, want to know the side effects. This includes the most serious side effect – the risk of death. The Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), comprised of
A electrochemical biosensor for the detection of antibodies against avian influenza virus type H5N1 in hen sera
Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious disease caused by Orthomyxoviridae family viruses. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus can be easily transmitted between poultry, leading to severe disease outbreaks or even pandemics. It is difficult to
A novel micro-injector for micro injection in dental application
Micro-injection technology is widely used in clinical surgery. Herein, periodontal disease is to be a starting point, we will develop a novel micro-injector carrying bone graft substitutes for repairing bone defect to minimizing the patient’s discomfort. Periodontal
Predictors of 360-day survival in centenarians
Healthy aging assumes the combination of longevity and quality of life. Quality of life in old age is associated with mental and physical well-being allowing for independent living and social function. Appropriate scales can be used to
Can Beautyberry treatment improve the success rate of lung transplantation?
Ischemia/reperfusion injury is a type of organ damage that occurs when blood supply returns to the organ after a period of ischemia and a direct consequence of oxidative stress. It significantly contributes to the risk of mortality
Osmoregulation in phytopathogenic fungi
Osmosis is a phenomenon in which water moves always from higher to lower chemical potential, commonly towards the area with higher solute concentration. Living cells are semi-closed systems with membranes permeable for water but not for many
Rat model of small opaque eyes open the door to eye research
Ocular diseases in elderly persons, such as cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the main causes of vision loss in developed nations, are paid great attention nowadays. The eye is a complicated organ constructed with
Modulation of immunity and gut microbiota
Animal bodies have many bacterial cells and a large part of them live in our digestive system. The relationship of gut bacteria to many aspects of wellness and health including immunity it is known. Regrettably, the current diet is
Exploring the amazing capacity of many bacteria to swim towards specific chemicals
Many bacteria possess flagella, which are flexible filaments attached to the bacterial surface. These filaments can rotate which in turn propels the bacterium forward and enables them to swim. However, this swimming behavior does not simply occur
Cancer risk in opposite-sex and same-sex twins
Twin pregnancies are characterized by simultaneous development of two fetuses that share the womb. An interest in opposite-sex (OS) twins, twin pairs consisting of one male and one female, comes from animal studies that showed that exposure
