Monthly Archives: May 2016
Indiscriminately ordering blood tests for rare heparin reaction can lead to patient harm and increased costs
Testing for rare heparin reaction is unnecessary for most cases and can be potentially harmful and lead to increased costs, according to an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Heparin is a common blood thinner used in
Movements networks in field biology
We live in a world that is more and more connected. Fundamentally, this reflects a world of increasing information, of big data, where we use technology to log our health, our journeys, even our calorie intake and
Microbes paralyze immune system
About every fourth child is suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD) (often called atopic eczema) and adults are also often affected by this disease. The skin of AD patients is strongly damaged (Fig. 1). It is dry, itchy,
Heart defects before birth: Why are most cases still being missed (and what can we do about it)
Heart defects occur in roughly 1 in 100 live births—far more than any other kind of birth defect. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that babies with major forms of heart disease have must
Defining optimal therapy for patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma and central nervous system involvement
Aggressive lymphomas constitute a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by a fast growth and dissemination that exhibit a high sensitivity to chemotherapy , radiotherapy and immunotherapy , and show high cure rates with modern therapies . A
Repetitive growth and fission of artificial cells with gene replication
Reconstruction of an artificial cell is one of the biggest challenges in elucidating the border between living and non-living things. Liposomes are compartments that have lipid bilayer membranes, like cells, and therefore are used as an artificial
White light emissive molecular siblings
Human eye is capable of detecting only a relatively tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum. However limited our vision might be, it is filled with the experiences of numerous colors, colors that control our emotional responses. White-light
How cardiac troponins should be Interpreted by clinicians?
Troponins are indispensable proteins for muscle contraction. Cardiac troponins are found in heart cells, and they are released into plasma in case of heart injury; so, they are related to various heart disorders with their functional characteristics
Biodegradable Starch based films with application as alternative packaging
Currently, the largest part of materials used in packaging industries are produced from fossil fuels and are practically non-degradable. These persistent polymers are a significant source of environmental pollution and accumulation of waste, harming wildlife when they are
Are we being shortsighted about shortsightedness?
The number of people becoming myopic (short-sighted), has doubled over the last three decades across the world, reaching levels of 20-50% in Europe and America, and around 80% in East and South East Asia in certain age
Embryogenesis explained, organelle of differentiation
The greatest mystery of life is how a single fertilized egg, which is one cell, develops into a fully functioning, sometimes conscious being with many cells of many kinds. We offer a new theory of how embryos
Lithium ion intercalation for boosting photoelectrochemical water splitting performance of TiO2 photoelectrode
Energy shortage and environmental pollution inspire the exploration of clean, renewable, and non-fossil energy carriers. Hydrogen, as “the world’s cleanest energy” because of its raw materials and products are water, and high energy content per unit mass
Materials for tomorrow: right next to us!
The idea of an artificial device able to help human parts to regenerate or to replace entirely one of the body functions attracted the attention of research teams around the world. During recent years, a route of
Protection from DNA-damage with the natural compound resveratrol
Resveratrol is currently known as a health-beneficial natural compound that is contained in grape skins, red wine, and other natural foods. Recent studies suggest that the compound could elongate the life spans of several organisms through a
Schizophrenia and the Cultural Revolution in China
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects around 1% of population in the world. Previous research has identified important causes of schizophrenia including certain genes as well as risk factors occurred at early life. However, few
Androgen receptor; a tale of two cancers
Prostate cancer and breast cancer share similarities as hormone related cancers with a wide range of heterogeneous settings. Macklin, as early as 1954, provided evidence for a significantly higher frequency of prostate cancer among relatives of breast
What if nanodiamonds aren’t people’s best friends?
The dynamic development of nanotechnology and nanoscience is associated with the increasing production and use of nanomaterials, such as nanodiamonds (ND), which have a diamond structure at a nanometer scale. They possess a variety of superior characteristics
A study of the acute effects of household air pollution on blood pressure in Indian women
Air pollution, and especially indoor air pollution from burning highly polluting solid fuels such as wood, crop residues, and coal, has intuitive and well-documented relationships with respiratory health. In recent years, many studies have also shown relationships
Plants versus pathogens: detection and deception
Novel research has unveiled more about the deception tactics used by plants in their continuous battle against attacks from disease-causing pathogens. These findings could help in breeding better crops to reduce losses and produce more food. In
A mild form of dermatomyositis as a prodromal sign of lung cancer: looking behind the skin
Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by specific skin findings and inflammatory lesions in the muscle biopsy. The most common clinical signs of dermatomyositis include an erythema over the face, neck and upper trunk known as
