Yearly Archives: 2016
TGFbeta signalopathies as a paradigm for translation medicine
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a disorder that affects different organ systems, such as the heart, aorta, eyes and the skeleton. Typically MFS patients present with tall stature, hands with long fingers, chest deformity. One of its most
Parkinson’s alpha-synuclein assembles in the disease prone stable dimers
The self – assembly of proteins into amyloid – type aggregates is a widespread phenomenon associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). According to the current model for PD, the aggregation of alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) and
Importance of updating prognostic predictions: an example from breast cancer
Today prognostic prediction models are an integral part of clinical practice in many fields. They are typically used to access the risk of an event in the future after a well-defined starting point, for instance the risk
Understanding stability in functional nanoparticle inks
The past decade has seen an explosion of interest in 3-D printing. While many applications of 3-D printing use curable polymers to construct macroscopic scale objects (think printing of toys, jewelry, and architectural models), one of the
Heat-alkalinity-time pasteurization can efficiently inactivate PEDV in porcine plasma
Emergence of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in North America and Asia resulted in massive losses to the pork industry. The virus is spread by the fecal-oral route and infection can cause acute diarrhea, dehydration and vomiting
Sexual dimorphism in pituitary prolactin tumors
The pituitary is located in the middle of the skull base, under the brain. This gland weight less than 1 g but its five cell types control growth, lactation and hormonal production by the thyroid, adrenals and
European Pharma Summit 2016
Organizer: GTCbio Start date: May 11th, 2016 End date: May 13th, 2016 We invite you to attend the European Pharma Summit 2016, which will take place on May 11-13, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. This event seeks to
How do chaperones save protein folding?
Protein folding both in vitro and in vivo goes via formation of intermediate states. These “molten globule”-like states fluctuate, expose their hydrophobic sites and therefore easily aggregate. This retards or even inhibits formation of protein native structures,
Medieval chainmail motif stabilizes DNA nanostructures
The field of nanotechnology refers to all objects in the size range between 1 and 100 nanometers, which correspond to one billionth of a meter. This dimension is hard to imagine and it can be defined as
What predicts who will do well in treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychological response following a traumatic event and affects about 8% of the population. Effective psychological treatments do exist and should be made available to anyone who is diagnosed with PTSD.
The antibacterials that have yet to be found
Science has contributed greatly to prolong the lifespan and health conditions of humans. However, close to the coming of age of the XXI Century, humankind is confronting the global war against infectious diseases. Leaving aside other microorganisms-associated
Low salt intake during pregnancy
All cells of an organism share the same DNA sequence from the time they are stem cells until they are fully differentiated, differing greatly in relation to the profile of expressed genes. Changes in gene expression which
Stag beetles restrain bite force to prevent breaking their own jaws
Males have evolved such strong bite muscles, that they risk breaking their own jaws while pinching. They prevent damage by modulating their bite force with a network of tiny sensors in their jaws. The distribution of these
A photothermal optical sensor enables measurement of hemoglobin concentration in unprocessed, nanoliter blood sample
Examining blood sample is like looking over the index of a book on the health of humans. For example, measuring cholesterol concentration in blood enables detection of hyperlipidemia, which is related to pancreatitis and cardiovascular disease, and
Risk modifier(s) of susceptibility to pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is an acute form of cancer of the white blood cells, characterized by the overproduction and accumulation of immature precursors known as lymphoblasts. ALL is the most common type of leukemia in children
Removal of small tonsils helps children with obstructive sleep apnea
Approximately 2% to 4% of children are affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that can result in decreased memory, bad grades and behavioral problems in school when it is not treated. Large tonsils and adenoids
How antioxidants may have a pro-oxidant effect?
The main function of the consumption of antioxidants is to strengthen the activity of enzymatic antioxidant systems of our cells and this is intended to prevent or delay oxidative stress caused by the increase of reactive oxygen
A new technique for quantification of small RNA variants with a single-nucleotide resolution
Non – protein – coding regions of the genome are widely transcribed to produce non – coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which play a crucial role in various biological processes and diseases. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have
AZGP1, a new candidate for the treatment of chronic kidney disease
In elderly populations, chronic kidney disease is a common clinical problem associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. When the kidney is injured by, for example, low blood flow, the human body has a remarkable
How does the brain manage our anger?
Aristotle is quoted to have said: “Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, for the right purpose, and in
