Yearly Archives: 2016
Omega-3 fatty acids, obesity and breast density
Omega-3 fatty acids, abundantly present in fish oil products, are in large use among the public because of the widespread perception that they are able to ameliorate and even prevent many chronic diseases, including cancer. Our research
Cardiovascular disease burden in Hodgkin lymphoma survivors
In developed countries, lymphomas are the third most frequent tumors among the pediatric cancers following leukemias and central nervous system tumors. With substantial increase in survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), late complications of treatment have become extremely
New MRI method for patients with fast and irregular heartbeats
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) takes very detailed pictures of the heart. MRI is very safe because it does not give patients harmful x-rays and is one of the best hospital tests used by doctors to check how
Does acute kidney injury affect other organs?
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a common and serious condition with no specific treatment. AKI has been estimated to cost the NHS in the UK alone between £451-626 million per year. Recovery from a single episode of
Wine polyphenols lower blood pressure
The Mediterranean lifestyle is synonymous to a healthy lifestyle for many people. This diet is rich in vegetables, fish and olive oil, but also inseparably associated with drinking a good glass of red wine. Other alcohol-containing beverages
Identification of old and contemporary human skeletal remains using an automated extraction method
In many forensic cases, bones are the only potential source of genetic material. Analyses of bone samples, especially old skeletal remains, is a challenging task due to the low amounts of DNA achieved and the additionally degraded
For Canadians access to eye care depends on where you live
The Canada Health Act adopted in 1984 is based on the principle of universal healthcare coverage. In other words the Act promises physician and hospital services to all Canadian residents irrespective of income or geography. Since Canada
Celiac disease and nutrition
Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic, immune-mediated enteropathy of the small bowel mucosa, induced by dietary gluten in genetically pre-disposed individuals. It is characterized by intestinal malabsorption and subtotal or total atrophy of intestinal villi, which improves
Fuel from sunlight and the new energy economy
Hydrogen is a clean-burning fuel that is gaining increasing attention as the renewable energy economy continues to evolve. Hydrogen fuel stations appearing in California and the release of a commercial fuel-cell vehicle in mid-2015 by Toyota are
How do mistletoes use water in leafless hosts?
Mistletoes are parasitic plants that penetrate the bark of the hosts’ branches through a modified root, connecting to their host sap (xylem) from which they access all the water and nutrients they need to survive. The mechanism
Harnessing Förster energy transfer
Our fascination with light, matter and their mutual interactions has been the driving force behind the advent of new optical materials, ranging from a variety of organic and inorganic dielectrics to tailored metals, photonic crystals and more
Diagnosis of concussion in children
Children frequently injure their heads during play and sport, which often leads to visits to the Emergency Department (ED) to be checked by a doctor. Concussion is a type of brain injury, which requires an accurate and
How does the antioxidant biliverdin work?
Antioxidants as food supplements are all the rage. Antioxidants include vitamins C and E and the compound family of the flavonoids, the strongly dark-blue or red-colored compounds found in fruits, such as blueberries or blackberries, or in
Alternative determination of blood alcohol concentration
Alcohol consumption is a common and legal practice in most of the countries around the world which leads to numerous fatal traffic accidents, and other incidents like leisure injuries, alcohol poisoning and drug facilitated sexual assault. According
The future of cross-border patient mobility in the EU
Medical tourism has recently grown at an explosive pace driven by American insurances that offer reductions to policy-holders who are willing to be treated in other countries. In Europe, the number of patients that wants to be
Exploitation of bacteria for solar energy harvesting
The amount of solar light hitting the surface of the earth in one hour is enough to meet the energy requirements of the whole earth for one year, the challenge is to design a system to convert
The right tool for the right job – it is brain surgery after all!
Getting drugs into the brain to help treat cancer or neurological diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s is pretty difficult. Generally speaking you can’t just take a pill or get an injection as the brain is protected by
Radiotherapy for prostate cancer: restrictions for the treatment of recurrent disease
Patients with prostate cancer who are treated with radiotherapy are not always cured. Depending on their pre-treatment risk factors (most importantly the stage of the tumour), they are at risk of recurrent disease. These recurrences often present
Surrogate technology: The future of aquaculture
Seafood is an important source of protein as well as a food source. With the global population expected to exceed nine billion in 2050, demand is likely to increase. Many fish are already on the brink of
Utilizing multimodal MRI to detect somatosensory stimulation in the rabbit
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool to investigate neural processing. Utilizing animal models enables research that is difficult to perform in humans. However, some animal models require anesthesia or sedation when undergoing MRI which negatively
