Monthly Archives: February 2016
Bad news for people with a penicillin allergy
There are over 500,000 hospitalizations annually in the U.S. in which patients will have a reported allergy against first line antibiotics. Beta-lactams are the largest group of antibiotics which include penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. These antibiotics are
When the going gets tough: Sleepy lizards’ personality affect the way they use space
Animal movement affects various ecological processes such as disease spread, nutrient recycling and biological invasion. Hence, understanding how animals use space (and why) is important for both basic ecological science and for applied aspects such as effective
The “other” concussion: spinal cord concussion
It was a breezy Sunday afternoon at a football game and the crowd falls silent as they watch the star running back lie motionless after a tackle. The medical team rushed over; the player is conscious and
Blast exposure causes brain injury due to pressure waves
Improved body armour and medical treatment have resulted in an increase in troops surviving blast from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during recent conflicts. However, these survivors exhibit the highest number of severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) since
Tracing aluminium adjuvants in viable cells
To improve the effect of a vaccine, adjuvants are often included in the vaccine formulation. An adjuvant is a molecule that potentiates the immune response induced by the vaccine, and commonly used adjuvants in vaccine formulations are
Finding aroma clues in the human breath to diagnose diseases
History of human odor analysis in disease diagnosis The use of the sense of smell as an indicator of human disease probably originated with Hippocrates (circa 400 BC). Early medical practitioners recognized that the presence of human
Dolphins help one another
Dolphins often help one another, assistance occurring in a variety of contexts that range from babysitting another dolphin’s calf to cooperative foraging to efforts to save another dolphin’s life. In this report, we describe the helpful efforts
Selective naked-eye sensors for real time detection of mercury ion in water
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most harmful and toxic chemical pollutants, which is released into the environment through natural or industrial sources. This dangerous heavy metal has the ability to enter the food chain and accumulate
Do the different actions required to gain a palatable food make a difference in the activation of the brain?
The motivated behaviour that underlies the food intake is a complex process mediated by various neural circuits. One of these is the mesolimbic system that employs the dopamine (DA) as neurotransmitter. In particular, in the responsiveness to
Towards wearable electronic devices that are powered by sweat
How would it be to charge your smartphone or iPod with your sweat while training? This would definitely be a green way to power portable electronics that you use everyday! The benefits of such attractive energy convertors,
Milk exosomes for drug delivery
The need to effectively deliver drugs to target site has employed a multitude of substances varying from biological to a chemical nature and solid metals for the preparation of tiny drug delivery vesicles called nanoparticles. However, factors
CD164 helps physicians to diagnose and treat cancer in Sézary Syndrome
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) represent malignancies of the T-lymphocytes that go to or reside in the skin. Roughly 50% of all CTCL cases are Sézary Syndrome and Mycosis Fungoides. The typical external manifestation of the disease is
Side effects of radiation therapy: Why me?
Most lung cancers are treated with radiation therapy, often in high doses. Although these treatments are absolutely required to prolong life (by killing the tumor or slowing its growth), radiation treatment can have negative side effects that
Extended VATS lobectomy
A lobectomy is the standard operation for removal of a lung cancer. Traditionally, it is performed through a large incision (approximately 15 cm or 6 inches) at the side of the chest. This incision, termed a thoracotomy,
Bleeding and thrombosis in a patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome using norethisterone
Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune hypercoagulable state caused by specific antibodies, and it is known to be associated with the occurrence of blood clots, or thrombosis, in the veins and/or arteries. However bleeding is rarely associated with the syndrome. Only a few cases
Evaluating methods for detecting deadly skin cancers
Melanoma is a rare, but potentially deadly, type of skin cancer that develops in skin cells called melanocytes, which are responsible for producing the pigment in your skin. According to the American Cancer Society, the probability of
Disguising insulin as an antibody: a Trojan horse for type 1 diabetes prevention
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an auto-immune disease. These diseases appear when our own immune system, which normally protects us from foreign pathogens (viruses, bacteria,…), attacks our own cells. In the case of T1D, T lymphocytes, which
Trends in expected lifetime without and with activity limitations in Denmark
In Denmark life expectancy has increased since the mid-1990s after many years of stagnation. Moreover, during the past more than 20 years expected lifetime in good health among older Danes increased more than life expectancy. The multiplicity
My research history – from molecular structure to surface science
Investigation of the molecular structure of SiCl4 using gas electron diffraction (GED) was the topic of my research I picked up when I started my graduate study at Department of Chemistry, the University of Tokyo. However, initial
Informational analysis to assess diagnostic accuracy of a medical test
Suppose one has a new diagnostic system (a computed tomography or ultrasound scanner, …), or a new diagnostic test for detecting a disease (diabetes, prostate cancer, …). Obviously we need to compare the performance of the new
