Yearly Archives: 2019
A culture medium for screening pandrug- resistance to aminoglycosides in Gram-negative bacteria
Multidrug resistance in Gram negatives is now recognized as an issue of worldwide interest. Those bacteria possess various resistance mechanisms compromising the efficacy of several class of antibiotics such as beta-lactams and aminoglycosides. Therefore, it is essential
Pathophysiological advantages derived from simultaneous measurement of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and nitric oxide (DLNO)
It has been over 100 years since Marie Krogh developed the method to measure the transfer of carbon monoxide (CO) through the alveolar wall. Since then, the single-breath CO diffusing capacity (DLCO) has become the most clinically
Counting choline: why this nutrient is important and how we can measure it
Choline is an important nutrient for the growth and sustenance of living things, from humans to bacteria. Cells covert choline into phosphocholine via the activity of the enzyme choline kinase, and a change of other enzyme mediated
Sea-level rise: a big push to increase plant root zone’s subsurface water salinity level
In coastal east-central Florida (ECF) in the U.S. (Fig. 1), plant root zone’s (PRZ) subsurface water salinity level is crucial to the survival of various vegetation species because it is one of the dominant factors controlling seed
How does chromium cause lung cancer? Resistance to cellular stress
Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in both men and women. One cause of lung cancer is occupational exposure to heavy metals. Extremely useful in several industries, heavy metals have become widespread environmental pollutants over
Second-generation composites from recycled wind turbine blades
The demand for wind and other forms of clean energy is increasing in the US and throughout the world. Wind energy is also expected to provide 14.9% of the global electricity demand by 2020. Under this scenario,
Insights into the molecular basis of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy
Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD) is a rare autosomal-dominant disease affecting the innermost part of the cornea, termed the endothelium. This monolayer of cells maintains corneal transparency by regulating its hydration. Human corneal endothelial cells do not normally
Large animal models for osteoporosis research: The small ruminants (sheep and goat)
In the healthy skeleton, constant bone remodeling occurs in which mature bone tissue is removed, in a process called resorption, and new tissue is formed in order to maintain bone strength and mineral homeostasis in continuum with
Metabolic and non-metabolic roles of pyruvate kinase M2 isoform in retinal rod photoreceptor cells
Glucose is the main source of fuel for every living cell. Normal cells take up glucose and burn it in the mitochondria (oxidative phosphorylation) for energy production (ATP synthesis). Rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, and
Advances in drug discovery and development in geriatric psychiatry
Drug discovery for disorders of the central nervous system is a long and challenging process, with a high attrition rate from the preclinical stages through to marketing a compound. In geriatric psychiatry, the heterogeneous nature of these
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in abdominal sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare group of cancers that arise in connective tissues such as muscles, fat and blood vessels. STS can occur almost anywhere in the body but are most commonly found in the
Clostridioides difficile infections: what is new in laboratory diagnosis and clinical treatment
Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) have become a major economic issue from developing countries as well as from the Western World. Early and accurate diagnosis of CDI allows earlier treatment, which can significantly reduce the morbidity, mortality, medical
The silent effects of heart surgery: voice and swallowing
Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Heart surgeries saves thousands of lives a year but can be lengthy and complex. During surgery, many patients require prolonged periods of intubation and coronary bypass (mechanical support
The destruction of endocrine disruptors in wastewater
In Canada, endocrine disruptors are a very topical issue in wastewater effluent quality. We define endocrine disruptors as chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine or hormone systems in wildlife and humans. Results can vary from different
Lernaean hydra puzzle in compensatory angiogenesis and tumor drug resistance
Before we proceed to apply the analogy of Lernaean hydra to compensatory angiogenesis and tumor drug resistance against anti-angiogenic drugs (AADs), let us have a cursory look at the interesting mythology of this hydra. According to Greek
Floating oils can be submerged in water with granular particles as encapsulated oil sacks
The particle stabilized liquid interfaces in liquid droplets and encapsulation of liquids with nano particles are used in industrial applications such as ink jet for printing and fertilizers. Applications with much larger drops of hydrophobic liquids ranging
Genetics, human metabolism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Advancement in technology has introduced a new era of genetic investigation: the so called next-generation sequencing. This innovative approach has allowed to extend the study of our genome and has led to the identification of numerous variants
How war and torture affect people
At any point in time, there are hundreds if not thousands of armed conflicts throughout the world. These include wars between and among countries, civil wars, wars against and between militias or guerrillas, and wars against and
A drug resistance gene mediates stringent response in bacteria
Mycobacteria represent an important group of bacteria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), infects about a third of the world population, of which 5% to 15% develop active disease. Furthermore, a rapid emergence of multidrug
Look ma, no air
Until recently, it has been conventional thinking that mammals cannot live without oxygen. This has been challenged by studies demonstrating survival of mole rats without oxygen for extended periods of time. The ability of mammalian cells to
