Monthly Archives: January 2016
Can nanotechnology promote biodegradation of plastics?
It is well-known that plastic waste has become a major environmental problem. Would it not be wonderful if plastics could disappear as they were merely food waste? And even better, would it not be incredible if we
Involvement in dry eye is deeper than we think
Dry eye is a very common condition with over 5-30% of the elderly suffering from this disease. In dry eye, which is due to decreased production and/or increased evaporation of the tear, patients may have a multitude
Cognitive fallacies and criminal investigations
Every human mind is subject of cognitive bias. This may or may not have consequences in everyday life, however, it can have a severe impact on criminal investigations. Nevertheless, errors do happen, even when the best efforts
Life profiles of suicide attempters in Northern Ireland: essential implications for suicide prevention
Suicide prevention researchers are particularly interested in elucidating factors that distinguish those who develop a desire to die by suicide from those who have developed both the desire and possess the capacity to attempt suicide. In the
More from less
Ice melts and that is easy to see. But supposed you cut the ice cube in half and in quarters, and so on until there was only one water molecule left? What does it mean to melt
Eyelid drooping may exist in rare diseases of muscle and neuromuscular junction
Eyelid drooping or ptosis is due to many different possible causes, ranging from natural causes (eg natural aging process) to more serious conditions. The ability to open the eye depends on a muscle in the orbit, named
Difluorocarbene generated by decarboxylation
As the past decades have witnessed the sharp increase in the number of fluorine-containing pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, significant efforts have been directed towards the development of efficient methods for the incorporation of fluorine atom(s) into organic molecules.
Parkinsonism Hyperpyrexia Syndrome and Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep Brain Stimulation of the subthalamic nuclei (STN-DBS) represents one of the most effective treatments in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with unsatisfactory response to pharmacological therapy. STN-DBS is a neurosurgical approach based on the implantation of
Plastics in horticultural soils. Does it matters?
Horticulture is an important periurban activity that provides fresh fruit and vegetables to big cities. It has increased its productivity due to two different techniques: plastic sheeting and pesticide application. Plastic (mainly polyethylene) film is used in
Modulation of bad cholesterol: what happens when patients with kidney disease receive omega-3-fatty acids?
Just as oil cannot dissolve in water, so cannot fat dissolve in blood. In order for our bodies to transport cholesterol, which is made of fat (lipids), within our bloodstreams something is needed to carry it around.
Opioids depress pupillary unrest
Deaths from overdose of opioid drugs such as morphine, heroin, dilaudid and oxycodone are a major public health problem worldwide. It is estimated that over 40,000 opioid related deaths occur annually in the United States, roughly equal
Computer-assisted screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for dwi offenders
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a common, reoccurring, and costly crime. In fact, DWI is one of the most frequently committed crimes in the United States and approximately one third of those arrested are likely to re-offend.
Diastereoselective Johnson-Corey-Chaykovsky trifluoroethylidenation
The trifluoromethyl – substituted three-membered rings including epoxides, cyclopropanes and aziridines are very interesting and useful structures which have received much attention in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and synthetic chemistry. Therefore, significant efforts have been directed towards the development of
How the immune system is regulated by small RNAs called microRNAs to prevent self-attacks leading to autoimmunity
The ability to properly engage the different arms of the immune response is essential for protection from pathogens but also for preventing autoimmune reactions against normal tissue. Central to autoimmune prevention are a class of white blood
Blocking miR-212/132 in T cells is a potential therapy for treating colitis
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is thought to be caused by aberrant immune response to host intestinal microbiota, leading inflammation in gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms such as diarrhea, rectal bleeding, anemia,
Tracking down the cells that produce cancers of the tonsil caused by HPV infection
The cells that cover the inside and outside surfaces of many adult tissues are called epithelia. The cells most external to the tissue usually don’t survive very long and must be therefore be continuously replaced. This is
Connective tissue that changes stiffness under nervous control
When you keep raising your hand, your muscles will soon get tired. What if your skin stiffens in the raised position？You can let your muscles relax and still your hand maintains the raised posture. This is what
A vital sign for the mind
Movies, television shows and the daily news will oftentimes depict people in severe states of drinking or drug behaviors, illustrating the depravity of this problem. It is more dramatic to show victims of these addictions in advance
How to lower a risk of being bitten to the face by a dog
Dogs are the most popular pets. They are used for guarding, hunting, and many other purposes. Additionally, dogs are ideal human companions. However, the mutually beneficial relationships between people and dogs are sometimes overshadowed by bites. Among
When a sniffle is torture
“To me it seemed like minutes, but it was only seconds. I started grabbing my hair, shaky, my head was overwhelmed. By the next action of the foil being pulled back and the next carrot crunch, BANG,
