Monthly Archives: January 2016
Revised Baux score and updated Charlson comorbidity index associated with mortality in burn patients
A severe burn injury induces significant systemic physiological imbalances. This may lead to subsequent complications, organ failure and death. In the United Kingdom, severe burn injuries (covering at least 15% of total body) leading to substantial hospitalisation
A monkey’s life is full of stress: pressures from a disease and the lack of good food and their effects on abundance
Despite strong links between patterns that individuals deal with others and their success at breeding that ultimately affect the size of animal populations, the particular social and ecological factors that lead to endangerment are not well understood.
Thyroid eye disease: early catch, better fix
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an uncommon condition that affects some people with an overactive thyroid (a condition called Graves’ disease, of whom about a quarter will develop TED). The disease causes swelling of the tissues behind
Recovery of fingermarks from fired and unfired cartridge cases
Fingermarks present at crime scenes can be successfully used by forensic examiners to identify possible offenders. There are a lot of techniques designed to develop fingermarks on a wide variety of surfaces and the market nowadays offers
Novel approach to probe interactions between biomolecules
Biological processes involve interactionsof several macromolecules and characterization of such interactions is important for elucidating these processes. The major problem with such characterization is the transient nature of the complexes formed by the interacting molecules. Single molecule
Using university-sponsored debit cards for indoor tanning services: an update
Numerous studies have established a link between indoor tanning bed use and increased risk for skin cancer. In fact, those who begin using tanning beds before the age of 35 increase their risk for melanoma, the deadliest
Glycogen localisation of AMPK is a regulated process
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a metabolic master kinase that plays a key role in maintaining energy homeostasis at cellular and whole body level. Recent evidence links AMPK activation to health benefits, such as increased longevity and
‘No, you choose for me’: The Monty Hall dilemma with pigeons
In the Monty Hall Dilemma (MHD), three doors are presented to human subjects with a prize behind one. Participants choose one door but before opening it, one of the unchosen doors is shown to not have the
A story about FXPOI: inclusions, poly-glycine, and ovulation
In case women cease menstruation before the age of 40, this is called premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). This happens to about 1% of the women in the normal population. For women that carry an FMR1 premutation this
Data storage – Quo vadis?
The amount of digital data created by mankind is increasing exponentially. Big companies have evolved addressing the need to store and manage such data masses. Google, Microsoft, and others are challenged to save several petabytes (1 PB
Can bacteria resist a new antibacterial method?
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is on the rise worldwide, making some previously-treatable infections incurable or even life-threatening. Thus there is a growing need for the discovery and development of new antibacterial methods of disinfection. Ideally these methods
The birth of neurons, steered by the antenna of the cell
Millions of neurons that constitute the human nervous system are generated during fetal development from stem cells that reside at the ventricle, a liquid-filled space found deep within the brain. How the fate of a stem cell
Palpating the brain with MR Elastography to diagnose normal pressure hydrocephalus
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a treatable cause of dementia that accounts for about 6% of dementia cases. It is a condition of elderly individuals of unknown cause, and is characterized by the presence of excessive fluid
Spinal tumors in children: a rare disease
Tumors of the Central Nervous System (CNS) are one of the first causes of morbidity and mortality in children in developed countries. Among them, spinal tumors are estimated to account for less than 10% of the cases,
Proposed novel therapy for a sexually transmitted disease
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is one of the seven pathogens that cause sexually transmitted disease, also popularly known as venereal disease. The NG infections are contagious. Their prevalence is higher among women than in men, high among sexually
Consumer and genetically modified food
Nowadays quality and safety influence consumers’ behaviour of food products more and more: so, food labeling has really an important role in the food system and marketing policy. Also the use of new biotechnologies into agri-food system
Probing the past with state of the art science
One of the breakthroughs in textile coloration achieved during the 19th century was the development of synthetic dyestuffs and in particular those with the colour purple. Prior to this time purple textiles were expensive and relegated to
Signaling in the brain studied – a role for receptor clustering?
Olfactomedin-1 is a signaling protein in the brain that plays various roles during early brain development. Brain cells (neurons) secrete the protein to the extracellular matrix, where it is known to be involved in several signaling pathways.
Putting mammalian target of rapamycin on track
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is the target protein of rapamycin, a bacterial metabolite in Streptomyces hygroscopicus primarily found in the soil sample from Easter Island in South America thirty years ago. Since mTOR was discovered in
Replacing diseased arteries: are we close enough?
Medical device technology has advanced to an extent that artificial heart, kidney, arteries, and prosthetic limbs are available as commercial market products. It is now a matter of choice for the patient and the surgeon to choose
