Author Archives: karen
A study to enhance medical students’ professional decision-making
I am nervous about producing a layman’s summary of my study because it raises more questions than answers. However it illustrates three points: senior medical students in this study struggled to routinely assess benefits and harms of
The genesis of plant languages: How plants evolve new metabolic pathways from existing ones
There are an estimated 100 million species on this planet, with a stunning array of shapes, sizes, physiologies and behavior. One question that has excited evolutionary biologists since Darwin is – how does all of this biological
Overcoming aging-caused difficulties in salivary gland
Stem cells are the cells that are responsible for the maintenance of tissues and organs by replacing functional cells with a limited life-span or that are damaged beyond repair. Over the last decades stem cells have been
The combustion of food occurs at cytochrome c oxidase
Cytochrome c oxidase represents the enzyme where cell respiration takes place. The oxygen which we inhale is transported via the blood stream to all cells of the body where it is converted into water by a cold
Identification of a novel factor implicated in the resistance of cancer to the therapy
Therapeutic treatment of cancer involves radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy so to generate a large amount of lesions in the DNA. Because cancer cells have reduced capacity to repair DNA lesions and are unable to slow down proliferation, this
Have any changes occurred in type and severity of facial injuries taken by soldiers since 1980s?
With all the recent progress in the weapon industries and the changing face of modern warfare, there is a need for better protection, devices, and education for soldiers in military systems. Assessment of the distribution of war
Does your culture create your personality?
Personality is as much a part of human biology as a liver, yet it is understood and evaluated through society, culture, and emotions. Personality is an individual’s unique patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Unlike the liver,
Does immunotherapy in Multiple Sclerosis increase the risk of developing PML?
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare and life-threatening brain disease caused by the JC virus. In multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen) was already known to substantially increase the risk for PML by suppressing the immune
A new portable miniaturize solid phase microextraction using micropipette tip in-syringe system
An innovative and simple miniaturized solid phase microextraction (M – SPME) method, using micropipette tip packed with activated carbon cloth (ACC) in a syringe system was developed for preconcentration and determination of silver (I) in the fresh
A smart 3-in-1 molecular device can do: detection, recognition and elimination of toxic cyanide
Cyanide is a useful but danger chemical. It is commonly use in industrial activities, such as mining, metallurgy, and photographic processing, however, one percent of tea spoon amount could cause a fatality to a normal human being.
A promising new drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease
Diabetes is a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The underlying mechanism seems to be that insulin signaling in the brain of patients with AD is very much impaired. Insulin not only controls blood sugar levels,
Could cancer be cured by inducing an autoimmune disease against It?
Might there be some way to make a microbial protein that the immune system normally overlooks (a “non-antigen”) into a target for an active immune response (an “antigen”)? Could one co-opt the immune system to produce an
Framing fracking: What could be done to improve the fracking debate?
Fracking is the process by which natural gas is extracted from otherwise impermeable shale rocks by the creation of fractures that allow gas to flow out of the rock. The use of fracking has expanded rapidly in
Survivals in pediatric cardiac tamponade caused by central venous catheters
Pediatric central venous catheter (CVC) placement is used for fluid or drug administration and is useful for hemodynamic (the fluid dynamics of flow) management in cardiac surgery but associated with complications such as rare but serious cardiac
Mitochondrial POLG2 disease mutations impair cellular energy supply
Mitochondrial diseases are devastating disorders for which there is no cure and no proven treatment. About 1 in 2000 individuals are at risk of developing a mitochondrial disease sometime during the course of their life. Half of
What is necessary to be prion-like domain?
Prions are infectious proteins that can assume various conformations, including amyloid fibrils that can serve as a matrix and “infect” other proteins both within and between the cells and between organisms. However, it was observed that yeast
Waltheria indica constituents to tackle Chagas disease
American trypanosomiasis, also known as Chagas disease, is one of the most serious protozoan diseases which occurs throughout Latin America. Its etiological agent is Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellate protozoa, which is transmitted to humans and other mammals
Renal risk associated with sodium phosphate medication
Sodium phosphate drugs (solutions, tablets or enemas) are used since 1990s as laxatives for bowel cleansing before endoscopy and radiology examination, or occasionally for treatment of severe constipation. Sodium phosphate drugs are low-volume osmotic purgatives, their administration
Innovative solid biofuel production from grape marc through hydrothermal carbonization
Geological ages and appropriate conditions are necessary to transform biomass into coal: with the hydrothermal carbonization, the same result is obtained in a few hours! Hydrothermal carbonization ( HTC ) is a thermochemical process through which it
Surgery for pancreatic head cancer
Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) offers the only chance of long-term survival for patients with pancreatic head cancer. The procedure involves removing the pancreatic head together with the duodenum, gallbladder and most of the common extra hepatic bile duct (Fig.
