Monthly Archives: August 2016
Building and rebuilding gastric epithelium: Trop2 as a common denominator
In mammals, the stomach is lined by a contiguous layer of cells called epithelium, further organized into units called glands. Gastric glands are divided into two areas: corpus and antrum, according to their specific function depending on
Topical application of hyaluronidase accelerates cutaneous wound healing
Chronic wound care poses a significant biomedical burden. The management and treatment of chronic wounds affect millions of people annually; these numbers are rapidly growing worldwide owing to the increase in the aging population and a sharp
Slaughterhouses fungal burden assessment: A contribution for the pursuit of a better assessment strategy
Bioaerosols are comprised of airborne bacteria, fungi, viruses and their by – products, endotoxins and mycotoxins. Fungal spores are complex agents that may contain multiple hazardous components. Health hazards may differ across species and strains because fungi
A surgical treatment for high blood pressure
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 70 million Americans are diagnosed with high blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension in the medical field. The majority of these individuals are not experiencing any symptoms
Tuning rapid brain response to rare emotional stimuli may calm down impulsivity
We may have experiences of doing something on impulse (e.g., impulse buying). Although impulsivity helps us to explore something new, and is important for establishing a prominent leadership to head up people in our communities. However, unusual
Active role of cell-derived microparticles in diabetes associated cardiovascular complications
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose (or hyperglycaemia) resulting from defects in insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycaemia produces disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and
G-quadruplexes: novel DNA structures controlling life from the beginning
The process by which a single cell, the zygote, becomes a fully formed organism has been a historic scientific enigma. Now we know that the information stored in the genes of the DNA is the responsible for
Temperament traits, and what are they based on
Families with two and more kids know that these children were different from the day they were born, and there is something biological, fundamental that makes them different. These biologically-based differences are called temperament. Temperament is not
A chirality change in XPC- and Sfi1-derived peptides affects their affinity for centrin
Centrins are small Ca2+-binding proteins that bind several cellular targets: XPC, Sfi1, Sac3, and transducin β. Thus, centrins are involved in several cellular processes, including centrosome division (Sfi1 protein), DNA repair (the recognition of UV-induced damage by
A psychology of globalized identities: Where are we headed, and why
Our social and psychological reality is increasingly shaped by globalization—the increasing interconnectedness of societies, economies, and cultures. Neither good nor bad, globalization contributes to global crises (e.g., rising inequality, climate change), but also provides many opportunities for
Particulate organics degradation and waste sludge minimization in complete solids retention activated sludge wastewater treatment plants
Activated sludge (AS) process has been widely applied for the treatment of wastewaters containing biodegradable substrates, such as organic compounds. It is based on the microbial utilization of biodegradable substrates that contain carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. The
Designing physical activity environments to include nature enhances positive physical and psychological benefits
Physical inactivity has been identified as a pressing health issue across the globe because has been directly related to mental and physical ill health. Insufficient physical activity (PA) is now the fourth leading underlying cause of premature
Jurassic siphon
The sauropod dinosaurs were the tallest animals to ever stalk the earth. The fossilised remains of sauropods indicate that some had necks as long as 12 m. Sauropods are often depicted with their heads held high –
Zinc – A beneficial player in autoimmune diseases
Essential trace elements, especially zinc, are indispensable for a proper immune function. Zinc deficiency or excess causes severe impairment of the immune response. So far, an increased susceptibility to infections, increased number of transplant rejections, development of
Multiplex methods provide effective integration of multi-omic data in genome-scale models
Structures called networks are often used as a way of simplifying complex problems. For instance, you’ve probably heard of social networks, where we simplify the complexity of human interactions by categorizing each pair of people as either
Diversity in the health professions
Our country is becoming more diverse. It is predicted that 24 years from now, we will not have a majority group. When combined, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Native Americans will be the majority group. Since
The invisible hearing aids
In the last 20 years, middle ear implants have joined conventional external hearing aids in the rehabilitation of the hearing loss. Middle ear implants solve some typical hearing aid problems such as feedback, signal distortion, or occlusion
How to build a communication system for cells
Single cell organisms, such as amoebae, are able to live independently without the need for extracellular communication systems. However, multicellular organisms, such as insects, fish and mammals, require systems that permit individual cells to communicate to one
Did Joan of Arc and Saint Paul suffer from epilepsy?
In February 2016, I read an article written by two Swiss neurologists trying to demonstrate that Joan of Arc’s and Saint Paul’s visual and auditory experiences were all manifestations of underlying epilepsy. The article was published in
Can Radon radiation become a source of treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common type of autoimmune disease. It is triggered by a faulty immune system of the body. However, the real cause of the disease is not completely known. The disease affects the
