Monthly Archives: June 2016

Not all chlorhexidine containing antiseptics kill multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

The best way to treat an infection is to prevent it in the first place. As resistance to antibiotics becomes increasingly prevalent, the reliance on disinfectants and antiseptics to prevent the spread of bacteria becomes ever more

African American, Latino, and older patients in a Comprehensive Cancer Center

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is considered the leader in cancer research in the United States.  The NCI recognizes 68 healthcare facilities as centers of excellence in cancer research and treatment. Of these, 41 are designated Comprehensive

Time trends in hospital stay after hip fracture in Canada, 2004-2012

Canadian health authorities aimed to shorten hip fracture hospital stay through changes in bed management protocols and surgery access policy. Some provinces introduced the practice of repatriating hip fracture patients to long term care within 5 days

Myotis daubentonii can serve as an integrative bioindicator for changes in metal exposure

Many bats species are worldwide endangered due to loss of habitats (e.g., deforestation), new diseases (e.g., White Nose Syndrome) and pollutants in the environment (e.g., pesticides). Beside pesticides like DDT or Lindane metals are one of the

Genetic disorders in primary aldosteronism – familial and somatic: an explanatory attempt

Aldosterone is the steroid hormone secreted from the adrenal gland in response to sodium deficiency, blood volume loss or potassium loading. It acts on the kidney and the colon to retain sodium and excrete potassium, in a

Bovine milk microbiological quality and milking practices from pastures in São Miguel Island (Azores)

The bovine dairy industry is mainly supplied by conventional dairy herds. Milk and derivate dairy products are rigorously evaluated and processed in accordance with the biosecurity standard norms. The ultimate aim is to obtain a “Farm-to-Table” food

Could a salamander forage inside your refrigerator?

The behavior and physiology of many animals (e.g., insects, amphibians and reptiles) can be greatly affected by changes in body temperature. For example, low temperature can reduce energy intake via effects on foraging behavior. Many insects and

Looking ahead: What are the lessons for education in Microbiology and beyond?

Higher Education has seen many changes, always faces new challenges, and educational approaches have to adapt in response and proactively. Issues such antibiotic resistance and food security emphasise the need to prepare for future skills demands of

Borrelia spirochetes found in a patient with Flegel disease

Flegel disease (Hyperkeratosis lenticularis perstans – HLP) is a rare autosomal dermatosis, characterized by small, asymptomatic, reddishbrown, keratotic papules occurring most frequently over the dorsa of the feet and the lower parts of the arms and legs.

Novel approaches to cancer treatment encoded within non-coding RNA

A hallmark of all living organisms is the presence of genetic material within each cell; this material is invariantly composed of a specific class of biological molecules known as the nucleic acids. While the more familiar variety

“I feel blue”: The problem of using figurative language in psychological tests

Ever had difficulty describing a nagging worry or burst of joy?  Emotions are hard to describe with literal language, so people often use figurative language: I’m feeling up today, but she’s got the blues.  However, when figurative

Automated chest X-ray screening: can edge map measure the evidence of pulmonary abnormalities?

Among many pulmonary diseases, according to the 2014 WHO report, Tuberculosis (TB) is considered as one of the deadliest communicable diseases. While TB cure rates over 90% have been documented in resource-rich countries, its detection and treatment

A New therapy for healing nonunion fractures in patients using self-bone marrow derived mesenchymal

Sometimes a broken bone fail to heal (“nonunion”) and it is necessary to induce the formation of new bone tissue to connect the broken pieces. Investigators from the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC) and orthopedic surgeons

Sub-Antarctic Fish – how do they do when things get warm?

Scientists are concerned about the fate of marine species, in particular fish, under future climate warming. Because fish body temperature varies as a consequence of variation in the ambient environmental temperature (they are “poikilotherms”), scientists expect that

Mapping brain shrinkage in dementia

Dementia is not a specific disease but rather an umbrella term for a collection of syndromes that affect thinking and behaviour. This is similar to cancer being the umbrella term for different cancer types, such as melanoma,

Action plans for pediatric eczema: Are they effective?

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is like asthma in that it requires patients to change their medications and/or treatment depending on their symptoms.  This can be very confusing for many patients. An Asthma Action Plan has

Visible-light-induced preparation of Functionalized Indoles

The use of low energy visible-light irradiation for the construction of synthetically and biologically important heterocyclic molecules by simple utilization of readily available starting substrates has emerged as powerful and sustainable approach in organic synthesis. Indole scaffold

Fish waste – a resource

The amount of farmed Atlantic salmon in Norway was 1.27 106  tons in 2014. This results in 0.34 106 tons of waste (residual raw material). In addition, even more waste is produced from pelagic catch, which is

Protection against production of cancer-causing agents in cooked meats by apple peel extracts

There is increasing evidence that the presence of cancer causing compounds in the diet are responsible for variations in cancer rates among different populations worldwide. Cancer causing agents are known to be generated during high temperature cooking

Varicella. A case report: With palms and sole of foot affectation

Varicella is caused by Varicella Zoster Virus (VVZ). This virus produces two different clinical manifestations of diseases: varicella and herpex zoster. It is present all over the world. In children, varicella is a mild disease, but in