Monthly Archives: January 2016
Differences between male and female cyclists’ performances under the acute influence of alcohol
It is well-known that the average man and the average woman possess different performances, which can depend on the demanded task or physical peculiarities, e.g. average body fat resp. muscle mass or average height. If one takes
New materials challenge well-established theory of crystal growth
The classical theory of crystal growth was established over a century ago and is still used today to describe the formation of crystals with highly symmetrical shapes. This theory explains that crystals start as a single seed
Bioresorbable Mg implants modified by nanostructured merwinite/PEO coating for hard tissue repairs
Metallic biomaterials for example stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt – based alloys are using as permanent bone implant materials for orthopedic applications. However, they have some problems : 1 ) the difference between the mechanical properties of
The surgeon general should say that indoor tanning causes skin cancer
It is a widely accepted fact that smoking causes lung cancer. This dates back to 1964, when the Surgeon General’s report clearly acknowledged this link. Fifty years later, the Acting Surgeon General, Dr. Lushniak, was asked to
The potential of chitosan in prevention and treatment of age-related diseases
According to the recent report of The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat the number of elderly (aged 60 years or over) is expected to increase from 841 million people in 2013
Does the tail wag the dog? How the structure of a protein’s “tail” affects its function
Many proteins are attached to cell membranes by a glyco-lipid “tail” known as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. It is becoming apparent that differences in the composition of these GPIs have profound influences upon protein structure, trafficking and
Accurate genomic evaluation of small dairy cattle populations
Nearly all traits of economic interest, such as milk production of dairy cows, are “quantitative.” These traits are determined by a large number of genes and are also affected by environmental factors. Until 2010, breeding of dairy
Antibodies at your pipette tips
Antibodies are essential in our immune system to fight against all sorts of diseases that we could encounter every day. The technological developments over the decade has allowed scientist to isolate target or disease-specific antibodies in the
Modulating drug release from Polyox matrix tablets: influence of Polyox molecular weight, drug solubility and vitamin E
Polyethylene oxide (polyox) has been extensively used as a controlled release excipient to modulate drug release from solid hydrophilic matrix preparations. The attraction of polyox as a polymer matrix is due to its high swelling ability, compressibility
Beethoven’s autopsy revisited: a pathologist sounds a final note
Ludwig van Beethoven had multiple medical problems besides deafness for most of his life, and his illnesses are believed to have profoundly influenced his music. Beethoven himself also thought these physical ailments were responsible for his self-acknowledged
The H5N2 avian epidemic: prognosis of the next influenza outbreak
Influenza is a viral infectious disease that afflicts millions of people every year with fatalities of thousands; sometimes significantly more when it emerges in a pandemic form. The Spanish Flu of 1918 was probably the most severe
Advancing medicine and agriculture using proteins that control energy and sugar production
Except for bacteria , most living organisms contain specialized cellular compartments termed mitochondria , that are responsible for breaking down sugars to produce energy for the cell. Plant cells possess a second compartment called chloroplasts , which
Active-state of AT1 receptor attenuates inverse agonism of ARBs through changes in specific ligand-receptor interactions
G protein – coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest gene superfamilies in the human genome. The angiotensin II ( Ang II ) type 1 receptor ( AT1R ) belongs to G – protein coupled receptor
Keys to unlocking human dopamine D1 receptor signal transduction
Our body organs, such as the brain, are made of different cells that talk to each other by releasing natural chemicals outside the cells. The free chemicals then attach to specialized proteins named receptors, which are anchored
Fatty liver disease: a condition caused by modern day lifestyle
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to the build-up of fat (steatosis) in the liver that occurs in the setting of obesity and/or diabetes. Specifically, other causes such as alcohol excess or drugs or genetic conditions need
Maximising the frog biodiversity surveys in looking at tadpoles
Amphibians are organisms very sensitive to environmental changes such as habitat lost, appearance of new pathogens, pollution and climatic changes among others. Facing these threats efficient conservation plans must be worked out to protect this fauna (as
Utrasound-guided core-needle biopsy in thyroid nodules: 676 cases with surgical correlation
Thyroid nodules are a frequent problem. Most are benign, but up to 15% of them are malignant tumours. Ultrasound is the indicated technique to explore thyroid and search for nodules. When a nodule is discovered and it
A case of meningo-vascular syphilis associated with bilateral anterior cerebral artery aneurysms
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum, a bacterium of the order of spirochetes, with human beings as the only host. Recently, the drastic increase in the incidence of syphilis worldwide, especially in urban
New, innovative educational tool to promote HPV vaccination
Each year, nearly 14 million Americans become infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can cause cancer. While there is a vaccine against the virus, vaccination rates in the United States are disappointingly low,
Personalising meditation with the help of brain research
Therapeutical approach such as meditation (an ancient mind–body practice) that specifically targets stress and associated with it risk factors through regulation of self-related processes may hold potential for lessening the burden of chronic diseases, slowing and possibly
