Monthly Archives: April 2016
Nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplant recipients
End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is an increasing worldwide illness that compels patients to accept either dialysis or kidney transplantation that is the best choice because ensures high quality of life. But, living or cadaveric kidney donation is
Uncovering ancient Ashkenaz – the birthplace of Yiddish speakers
The origin of the Yiddish language (spoken at least since the 9th century A.D.), and consequently Yiddish speakers, has been debated for the past several centuries, mainly between linguists. While the Rhineland hypothesis suggests a German origin,
HIV/AIDS-associated tryptophan depletion as part of the influence of inflammatory mediators on general nutritional status
The essential amino acid tryptophan cannot be synthesised in the body and must be acquired through dietary intake. Tryptophan is an important substrate for protein synthesis and for synthesis of the neuroactive substances serotonin, melatonin and tryptamine.
A tug-of-war helps shape membranes inside human cells
Imagine if you had to construct an intricate factory consisting of layered platforms interconnected with long tubes, using Lego pieces. The task would become more complex if this assembly would have to be periodically dismantled and rapidly
Polar bears and flame retardant chemicals as environmental pollutants
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are man-made chemicals that were used on many industrial and consumer products to reduce fire risk. The commercial PBDE mixture that was used extensively in North America for application to polyurethane foam, textiles
Using electrochemistry to address current needs in micro imaging
When one thinks of microscopy, usually imagined is something like a compound optical light microscope, which dates back before the 1600’s. For hundreds of years following, the optical microscope has served the scientific community by helping visualize
Understanding asthma using the maths of the stock markets
To unpack the wealth of results emerging from a massive seven-year study of several hundred people with severe asthma, researchers in Southampton and Portsmouth are turning to the mathematics of the financial trading markets. Asthma is a
Psoriasis: New treatments can completely clear the rash
Psoriasis is a very common skin disease that affects around 3.2% of adults in the US. People with psoriasis develop itchy and often chronic rashes that can be difficult to treat. Psoriasis can be a debilitating disease
Cultured macrophages help predict lung toxicity of inhaled nanoparticles
Many small particles of industrial or occupational origin are believed to infer an inflammatory or otherwise toxic potential to human health upon inhalation. Knowledge on this issue is especially important for the very small nanoparticles, which measure
Clinical evolution and payment revolution: The future of psychology in healthcare
Health reform has ushered in the dawn of a new era for mental health. For decades, mental health has functioned as a separate and distinct service that operates in relative isolation from other sectors of the healthcare
Deaf people are more likely to be left-handed – unless they are also signers
The hand that we prefer to use – the right or the left one – speaks about how our brain is organized. For example, if we are strongly right-handed (i.e., we prefer the right hand for almost
Prior authorization for child and adolescent psychiatric patients deemed to be in need of inpatient psychiatric admission
Four million children and adolescents in the US suffer from a serious mental disorder that causes significant functional impairments at home, at school and with peers. In youth, many of these disorders can have life-long deleterious effects.
The new subregion in parahippocampal region founded integrated the two memory-related brain networks
The parahippocampal region (PHR) is an interface region between the hippocampus and the neocortex located in the medial temporal lobe (MTL). The PHR has been implicated in many functions, including long-term memory, working memory, and perception. Given
How fungi chew the fat: Fatty acid ester production in pathogenic filamentous fungi
Fungi are nature’s paradox. They are both good and bad for humans. They are good because they provide a treasure trove of medicines used to fight bacterial infections and lower cholesterol. They are also good because when
Telling people there is no free will makes them behave unethically, but only temporarily
Making people believe there is no such thing as free will can be a dangerous thing. Previous research has shown that if people believe there is no free will, they are more likely to cheat and behave
Simple Hepatic Cysts : Percutaneous treatment
Cysts are fluid filled cavities that can be found anywhere in the body as well as in liver. Simple hepatic cysts are common in general population and pose no risk for malignancy. Although they usually cause no
Peptides (small proteins) sharing an active nerve cell protecting site
Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), essential for brain formation, is frequently mutated in children on the autism spectrum. This protein, together with Activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) are two proteins that were discovered in the laboratory of Prof. Illana
Use of valproic acid during postoperative chemoradiotherapy for glioblastoma may improve survival outcome
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain neoplasm. The standard therapy for GBM consists of surgical resection to the extent that is safely feasible, followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with temozolomide. The prognosis is still poor; the
Vitamin D and T cells in multiple sclerosis: how to measure an effect?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the brain, leading to disability in patients suffering from this disease. A type of white blood cells, T cells, are important pathogenic cells which drive this inflammation in early
Mobile phones support palliative care services in Africa
The African Palliative Care Association (APCA) are a pan-Africa advocacy and research organisation working to expand palliative care services in the Africa region. APCA have been working with Honexus, a software development company, to create an electronic
