Yearly Archives: 2016
Fishing highly explosive and toxic TNP
Water pollution by anthropogenic sources such as industrial effluents, mining activities, use of fertilizers and pesticides, dumping grounds is increasing in alarming rate. Picric acid (2,4,6-trinitrophenol, TNP) is highly explosive molecule used in armour piercing shells, bombs,
Osteopontin is a novel player and potential biomarker in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni
Schistosomiasis or bilharzia is a tropical disease caused by worms of the genus Schistosoma. Over 440 million people from 76 countries and territories are infected (Fig. 1). This water-based disease is considered the second most important parasitic
Ionic liquid solubilities in water: a janus phenomenon
Ionic liquids are a new class of solvents often claimed as « green » because they are non-flammable and non-volatile. In the search for better environmental industrial processes, they are thus an appealing choice to replace toxic, flammable and
Radiotherapy in palliative treatment of metastatic NSCLC: not all one and the same
The role of an editorial is to incorporate the results of a new relevant study in the scientific scenario, shedding light on some particular results of the trial which can change the clinical practice. The starting point
How preparation to touch or grasp alters visual size perception
This paper, recently published by my colleagues and I, summarizes a series of studies on how engaging in particular actions affects how our brain processes incoming visual information. Specifically, illusions that exert a strong effect on our
A cost-effective approach to new drug discovery and chemical safety
Modern lifestyle is highly dependent on the use of thousands of chemicals in the form of life-saving drugs as well as specialty substances like pesticides, herbicides, cosmetics, solvents, etc. Today the discovery of a new drug costs
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of genomic DNA from in vitro grown tomato
Conservation of plant genetic resources is necessary for food security and to safeguard biodiversity which is essential for genetic engineering and plant breeding programmes. Conservation of plant resources can be achieved either in their natural habitats (in
Defeating cancer by taking advantage of its inbuilt frailties
The treatment of cancer is a conflicting and complex process; the drugs that are used to kill cancer cells are also toxic to your healthy tissues. However, the different physiology of tumors provides a route to deliver
Bad news for people with a penicillin allergy
There are over 500,000 hospitalizations annually in the U.S. in which patients will have a reported allergy against first line antibiotics. Beta-lactams are the largest group of antibiotics which include penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. These antibiotics are
When the going gets tough: Sleepy lizards’ personality affect the way they use space
Animal movement affects various ecological processes such as disease spread, nutrient recycling and biological invasion. Hence, understanding how animals use space (and why) is important for both basic ecological science and for applied aspects such as effective
The “other” concussion: spinal cord concussion
It was a breezy Sunday afternoon at a football game and the crowd falls silent as they watch the star running back lie motionless after a tackle. The medical team rushed over; the player is conscious and
Blast exposure causes brain injury due to pressure waves
Improved body armour and medical treatment have resulted in an increase in troops surviving blast from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during recent conflicts. However, these survivors exhibit the highest number of severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) since
Tracing aluminium adjuvants in viable cells
To improve the effect of a vaccine, adjuvants are often included in the vaccine formulation. An adjuvant is a molecule that potentiates the immune response induced by the vaccine, and commonly used adjuvants in vaccine formulations are
Finding aroma clues in the human breath to diagnose diseases
History of human odor analysis in disease diagnosis The use of the sense of smell as an indicator of human disease probably originated with Hippocrates (circa 400 BC). Early medical practitioners recognized that the presence of human
Dolphins help one another
Dolphins often help one another, assistance occurring in a variety of contexts that range from babysitting another dolphin’s calf to cooperative foraging to efforts to save another dolphin’s life. In this report, we describe the helpful efforts
Selective naked-eye sensors for real time detection of mercury ion in water
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most harmful and toxic chemical pollutants, which is released into the environment through natural or industrial sources. This dangerous heavy metal has the ability to enter the food chain and accumulate
Do the different actions required to gain a palatable food make a difference in the activation of the brain?
The motivated behaviour that underlies the food intake is a complex process mediated by various neural circuits. One of these is the mesolimbic system that employs the dopamine (DA) as neurotransmitter. In particular, in the responsiveness to
Towards wearable electronic devices that are powered by sweat
How would it be to charge your smartphone or iPod with your sweat while training? This would definitely be a green way to power portable electronics that you use everyday! The benefits of such attractive energy convertors,
Milk exosomes for drug delivery
The need to effectively deliver drugs to target site has employed a multitude of substances varying from biological to a chemical nature and solid metals for the preparation of tiny drug delivery vesicles called nanoparticles. However, factors
CD164 helps physicians to diagnose and treat cancer in Sézary Syndrome
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) represent malignancies of the T-lymphocytes that go to or reside in the skin. Roughly 50% of all CTCL cases are Sézary Syndrome and Mycosis Fungoides. The typical external manifestation of the disease is
