Yearly Archives: 2016
A new phase change material for thermal energy storage
The technologies currently used to generate energy through renewable sources such as solar, wind and biomass are still characterized by high costs and insufficient continuity of generation. Such sources will therefore continue to have a secondary role
Can inhaled formoterol be used to prevent hypoglycemia?
Patients with type 1 diabetes need insulin treatment for their survival. However insulin can cause low blood sugar (or hypoglycemia); a major limiting factor for good diabetes control. Hypoglycemia occurs when there is an excess of insulin
Lipids are major players in Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 36 million people worldwide. Alzheimer’s patients suffer from dementia and memory loss and go through a progressive, irreversible and eventually fatal loss of cognitive functions. When Alois
Why do we conform?
In 1951, Solomon Ash conducted one of the most famous experiments in the history of psychology. He had participants watch confederates judging the length of a line, often obviously incorrect. And yet, when requested to make the
Differences between male and female cyclists’ performances under the acute influence of alcohol
It is well-known that the average man and the average woman possess different performances, which can depend on the demanded task or physical peculiarities, e.g. average body fat resp. muscle mass or average height. If one takes
New materials challenge well-established theory of crystal growth
The classical theory of crystal growth was established over a century ago and is still used today to describe the formation of crystals with highly symmetrical shapes. This theory explains that crystals start as a single seed
Bioresorbable Mg implants modified by nanostructured merwinite/PEO coating for hard tissue repairs
Metallic biomaterials for example stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt – based alloys are using as permanent bone implant materials for orthopedic applications. However, they have some problems : 1 ) the difference between the mechanical properties of
The surgeon general should say that indoor tanning causes skin cancer
It is a widely accepted fact that smoking causes lung cancer. This dates back to 1964, when the Surgeon General’s report clearly acknowledged this link. Fifty years later, the Acting Surgeon General, Dr. Lushniak, was asked to
The potential of chitosan in prevention and treatment of age-related diseases
According to the recent report of The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat the number of elderly (aged 60 years or over) is expected to increase from 841 million people in 2013
Does the tail wag the dog? How the structure of a protein’s “tail” affects its function
Many proteins are attached to cell membranes by a glyco-lipid “tail” known as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. It is becoming apparent that differences in the composition of these GPIs have profound influences upon protein structure, trafficking and
Accurate genomic evaluation of small dairy cattle populations
Nearly all traits of economic interest, such as milk production of dairy cows, are “quantitative.” These traits are determined by a large number of genes and are also affected by environmental factors. Until 2010, breeding of dairy
Antibodies at your pipette tips
Antibodies are essential in our immune system to fight against all sorts of diseases that we could encounter every day. The technological developments over the decade has allowed scientist to isolate target or disease-specific antibodies in the
Modulating drug release from Polyox matrix tablets: influence of Polyox molecular weight, drug solubility and vitamin E
Polyethylene oxide (polyox) has been extensively used as a controlled release excipient to modulate drug release from solid hydrophilic matrix preparations. The attraction of polyox as a polymer matrix is due to its high swelling ability, compressibility
Beethoven’s autopsy revisited: a pathologist sounds a final note
Ludwig van Beethoven had multiple medical problems besides deafness for most of his life, and his illnesses are believed to have profoundly influenced his music. Beethoven himself also thought these physical ailments were responsible for his self-acknowledged
The H5N2 avian epidemic: prognosis of the next influenza outbreak
Influenza is a viral infectious disease that afflicts millions of people every year with fatalities of thousands; sometimes significantly more when it emerges in a pandemic form. The Spanish Flu of 1918 was probably the most severe
Advancing medicine and agriculture using proteins that control energy and sugar production
Except for bacteria , most living organisms contain specialized cellular compartments termed mitochondria , that are responsible for breaking down sugars to produce energy for the cell. Plant cells possess a second compartment called chloroplasts , which
Active-state of AT1 receptor attenuates inverse agonism of ARBs through changes in specific ligand-receptor interactions
G protein – coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest gene superfamilies in the human genome. The angiotensin II ( Ang II ) type 1 receptor ( AT1R ) belongs to G – protein coupled receptor
Keys to unlocking human dopamine D1 receptor signal transduction
Our body organs, such as the brain, are made of different cells that talk to each other by releasing natural chemicals outside the cells. The free chemicals then attach to specialized proteins named receptors, which are anchored
Fatty liver disease: a condition caused by modern day lifestyle
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to the build-up of fat (steatosis) in the liver that occurs in the setting of obesity and/or diabetes. Specifically, other causes such as alcohol excess or drugs or genetic conditions need
Maximising the frog biodiversity surveys in looking at tadpoles
Amphibians are organisms very sensitive to environmental changes such as habitat lost, appearance of new pathogens, pollution and climatic changes among others. Facing these threats efficient conservation plans must be worked out to protect this fauna (as
