Yearly Archives: 2015
An intracellular membrane system helps cells to divide
Cell duplication is the fundamental requirement for the development of multi-cellular organisms, a process that relies on two basic events: replication of the genetic information and the consequent separation of this information into two daughter cells. The
Is digoxin safe?
Digoxin is a medication commonly used in patients with heart disease. It is extracted from the foxglove plant and was first described in 1785. During the last few centuries it has become an established treatment in patients
Are bleached teeth inflamed?
Some tooth-whitening procedures leave the treated teeth painful. The cause of this pain is unknown. To investigate the cause, we wanted to measure the blood flow in the teeth to see if they had become inflamed. Inflammation
Current dietary habits of infants and toddlers in Belgium
Feeding habits early in life are important since they are related with the development of obesity and other health problems, such as high blood pressure, later in life. Prevention is the only feasible approach to control the
Using ‘Big Data’ approaches to gain new insights into asthma
By combining fibre optic camera technology with the mathematics of ‘Big Data’ from Silicon Valley, researchers at Southampton have been with gaining new insights into the nature of the world’s commonest long-term lung disease: asthma. Up to
Emerging insights from the green world into growth and ageing
Unlike animals whose form and fate is largely determined a brief embryogenesis, plants typically elaborate variable forms more gradually, and in some cases can grow for thousands of years. These differences can be largely attributed to distinct
Chicken and egg issues in aging: Which happens first, physical or mental aging?
We all know older people who are mentally sharp but physically weak, or still physical healthy but showing signs of mental decline. And we all hope that we will be one of the lucky ones who will
Psychological stress can influence key immune activities and an important protein in the response to infection
The central role played by our immune system is to protect us against infections. In doing so, the immune response creates a localized toxic inflammatory environment that makes it difficult for the infectious agent to survive. In
A gentle look at the heart
Coronary artery disease is one of the major causes of death in the Western population, mainly because of the potential risk of a heart attack. The latter often occurs out of the blue and the only chance
Cardiac atrial appendage stem cells: bright cells for a bright future for patients with ischemic heart disease
Ischemic heart disease is still one of the major causes of global morbidity and mortality. Although significant improvements in medical and surgical treatments have been accomplished over the last few decades, these are still not able to
Characterisation of the human epicardium in the developing heart
The vertebrate heart is composed of three cell layers: an inner layer lining the heart chambers (atria and ventricles), the endocardium; an intermediate muscle layer, the myocardium; and an outer layer that envelops the myocardium, the epicardium.
Immediate antidepressant effects on functional brain connectivity
Neurotransmitters are the brain’s chemical messengers that allow for communication between neurons. They ‘jump’ from one neuron to the next causing excitation or inhibition of cell firing. Since healthy brain functioning relies on adequate neural communication, neurotransmitter
Unlocking trafficking impasse in life-and-death struggle of leukemic cells
Lymphocytes are immune system cells devoted to the defence against enemies coming from both outside (i.e. bacteria and viruses) and inside (tumours). Several times per day these cells escape from the blood and enter into the immune
In vitro test bench to reproducing pulsatile flow conditions
Cardiovascular diseases are among the top causes of mortality in the world. Huge efforts are made to fight against the cardiovascular diseases. However, the variability of the symptoms and risk factors makes this fight very challenging. While
How does social class affect obesity in emerging countries? The case of Mexico
Brought on by rapid economic growth and urbanization, overweight, obesity and related diseases reached dramatic levels in the developing world, particularly among emerging countries such as Mexico. More than 2/3 of Mexicans are overweight and almost 1/3
Heme: an old player with a novel mechanism in cardiac muscle contractility
Heme is a complex containing iron and protoporphyrin IX and it is commonly bound to proteins involved in oxygen transport, detoxification and energy production. However, this molecule has been known to have toxic effects in the heart.
Newborn pulse oximetry screening is not just for heart defects
Measuring the arterial oxygen content (saturation) of the blood is easily done by pulse oximetry. In newborn infants a probe emitting and absorbing light is put on the hand or foot (or booth) and a reliable result
Regucalcin may prevent the development of prostate age-related pathologies such as prostate cancer
Regucalcin (RGN) is a protein with a multifunctional role, which regulates the basic biological processes determining cell fate. RGN actions have been implicated in the control of intracellular calcium levels, oxidative stress, cell metabolism, cell death and
Table olive debittering without chemical solution by using power ultrasound
Table olive is one of the most important products in the world, with a total production of 2,512,500 tons in the 2012/2013. Different processing methods are applied for producing table olives with the objective of eliminating their
Oxygen affects buds burst in grapevine
Grapevine is the most economically important fruit crop worldwide and is the mainstay of rural communities in over 100 countries. However, grapevine production is concentrated in latitudes of 30°-50°, and largely in maritime regions, due to its
