Yearly Archives: 2016
Binding study of fibrinogen and albumin to metal oxide nanoparticles and its relevance in nanomedicine
The binding of proteins to different inorganic surfaces plays an important role in natural processes such as the growth of bone tissue (protein-mineral interactions) and in biotechnological and biomedical applications. Recently, the binding of proteins to metal
Antibiotics: what patients don’t know
Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed and precious medicines we have. They cure infections if used correctly but overuse, underuse and usage errors pose risks to patients and the community. Risks include excess side effects, uncured
The behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment
Due to their inexpensive, lightweight and durable properties, plastics hold a highly prevalent place in contemporary society, with extensive commercial, industrial, medicinal and municipal applications. Most of plastics are used in single-use applications, or other short-lived products.
What’s in your water? Using DNA to keep drinking waters clean
Turn on a tap, and many of us will be greeted with safe and clean drinking water. This is something that people living in developed nations often take for granted, as contaminated drinking water is a significant
Light as a green tool in pharmaceutical approach: myths, reality and possibility
Daylight is an electromagnetic photo-radiation that comprises visible and ultraviolet lights. Since the beginning of creation and light is being used in both simple and complicated biological processes, for example plants use the light energy in the
Males who take citicoline show increased motor speed and attention
Citicoline is marketed as a nutritional supplement in the United States and has been shown to influence cellular metabolism in the brain and to contribute to the synthesis of essential neurotransmitters including acetylcholine and dopamine. Citicoline is
Human papillomavirus infection and vaccination
Human papillamoavirus (HPV) is an infection that can be sexually transmitted. A person can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with another person who has the virus. HPV infections are the most common sexually
Arrestin-enolase protein complex as a new auto antigen in heart disease
Over the past two decades, evidence of a pathogenic relevance of autoimmunity in human heart disease has increased significantly. A central role for autoimmunity in a significant proportion of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients is supported by the
Sailfish: the fastest fish in the world?
The fascination for speed runs deep in humans: we are in awe of fast cars and the 100-meter race is the most popular event at the Olympics. Similarly, we are intrigued by fast animals, like the cheetah
Electrochemical oxidation of americium and its role in nuclear waste processing
Nuclear energy is a promising source of renewable energy, however, to facilitate its adoption and avoid nuclear proliferation, solutions to the handling, reprocessing, and disposal of nuclear waste must be addressed. In the United States, commercial reactors
Control of cell identity by the nuclear architecture
In a complex organism, all cells use their identical genetic potential to differentiate into a variety of cell types characterized by different morphology, nuclear shape and function. This is possible because only a small subset of genes
Hosts and pathogens: war without end
Theodosius Dobzhansky once famously remarked that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”. Nowhere is this truer than in the never ending struggle between animals and the pathogens (viruses, bacteria and parasites) which
Endospore formation: a mechanism for microbial response to unfavorable environment
The strain included in the report is Bacillus sp. CHD6a, a member of the phylum Firmicutes isolated from the shallow-sea hydrothermal vent systems off northeast Taiwan’s coast. Bacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped and ubiquitous in
“Nothing to worry about”? The meaning of a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) diagnosis for patients put on a disease register
We interviewed a group of people who had been recruited to a trial for people with early stage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The wider trial was concerned with finding out whether helping people with early stage CKD
Combinatorial cancer therapies: too many “good guys” don’t do always good!
“Μέτρον άριστον” (Metron ariston) is an ancient Greek phrase, attribute to Cleobulus (6th century BC), one of the Seven Sages of Antiquity, and is translated, as “Moderation is the best”. This was meant to be applied to
Adenovirus infection in children with bronchiolitis or recurrent wheezing
Adenovirus (AdV) and other viruses as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Meta-pneumovirus (MPV), Rhinovirus (RV) and Para-influenza Virus (PIV) have been detected in the respiratory tract of children with acute bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing. Adenovirus (AdV) is an
Yarrowia lipolytica: how a yeast becomes a workhorse for biotechnology
Yarrowia lipolytica is a yeast species belonging to the Ascomycota fungi phylum (like the well-known baker’s and brewer’s yeasts, both from Saccharomyces cerevisiae species). This innocuous yeast can be found in a large range of ecosystems (soils,
Quorum sensing concept shed new lights on the collective regenerative behavior through study of hair plucking
Scientists know injuries sometime induce regeneration sometime not. Scientists search for factors that can promote regeneration. Usually, regeneration process is studied by analyzing the regenerative behavior of one organ unit. However, this may not be sufficient to
A factor that regulates the expression of HIV genes
Proteins are the machinery of life. Nearly everything in a cell is manufactured by, regulated by or composed of proteins, which are encoded in genes. When a cell needs a particular protein, the DNA encoding the protein
Evolution of diverse and bizarre stag beetle weapons
Stag beetles evolved an impressive diversity of weapons because the shape and size of the armature hardly influence the cost of flying. Computer simulations of flying stag beetles have shown that the energy cost is solely determined
