Author Archives: karen
A novel radionuclide treatment for hormone refractory metastatic prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common male cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer overall. In patients with localized prostate cancer, the five-year survival rate approximates to 100%; however, in patients with distant metastases, it
Evolution of innate T cells
As a part of adaptive immunity, T cells identify and respond to products or antigens derived from pathogens. These antigens are seen by T cells in the form of short fragments or peptides presented by classical major
More sitting during a day increases the probability of developing the metabolic syndrome in older adults
We all would like to stay fit and independent for the rest of our lives. In order to live longer in good health we need to change or adjust our lifestyle. Scientists make an enormous effort by
Caged hens with unusual white blood cells
Animal welfare and egg supply sustainability issues are now top priorities. Currently, most eggs are from caged hens whose welfare is a question. To address the issue, microscopic data from blood counts of hens in three cage
A small structure hidden in the brain that might play a big role in diseases like depression and autism
The choroid plexus is a hidden and often neglected, but important, structure in the brain. The choroid plexus hangs inside the brain ventricles which are filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Fig. 1). Importantly, the choroid plexus is
New effective treatments for Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease
Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease are the most common neurodegenerative disorders. As people are getting older than in previous generations, the number of people who are affected has increased. Unfortunately, there is no cure for these diseases. The
Intense negative emotion can relieve your anxiety symptoms
Both our everyday sense and host of psychological literature indicate people who have tendency to experience negative emotion (one may call them neurotics) are prone to suffer from anxiety problems. Such anxiety problems include generalized anxiety disorder,
The Chinese version of moral sensitivity questionnaire-revised
Nurses face many ethical issues in their daily work of caring for patients. Ethical sensitivity equips nurses with the framework to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. By recognizing the presence of an ethical
Opportunist or specialist: what is the best feeding strategy?
What is the best strategy to catch food? Is it to be opportunistic and try to capture every prey found on our way? Or to be more selective and target only specific prey that have higher energetic
Comparing skin research funding with skin disease burden
Distributing funding dollars to research is an important and daunting task. While many factors influence research-funding decisions, establishing a transparent, priority-setting system is paramount. This is particularly important for the National Institutes of Health, which invests over
Antibiotic resistance re-visited
With the introduction of antibiotics at the beginning of the 20th century, the threat of bacterial infections was thought to over. Today, antibiotics are still used as the first, if not only, line of defense against bacterial
Sugar induces sleep by activating the neurons responsible for sleep onset
Contrary to what one might think, sugar promotes sleepiness and not hyperactivity. There may be a good reason to sleep after a high-sugar meal. That is the conclusion of a new study published by neuroscientists at ESPCI
Heart compression by the liver; a rare surgical disease
Elevation of the diaphragm “the primary respiratory muscle” can occur due to congenital or acquired causes. Diaphragmatic eventration is a congenital elevation of the diaphragm due to maldevelopment of the muscle fibers which are replaced by fibrous
A new type of mycovirus
Virus infects Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungus that can cause the human disease aspergillosis Researchers, led by Dr Robert Coutts, Leverhulme Research Fellow from the School of Life and Medical Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire, and Dr
How does the brain coordinate movement?
Suppose you are sitting in a chair and decide to stand up and walk across the room to switch on the light. How does the brain work out what muscles to contract, by how much and in
Protecting ideas when a principal investigator changes
Financial support provided by research grants are required to perform research. Without grant support many projects would simply be impossible to undertake. Due to limited availability of research funds, obtaining an independent research grant is highly competitive
A genetic switch for your health
We all have heard that reducing your caloric intake improves your health and may even extend your life. A fascinating aspect of calorie restriction is that it has similar beneficial effects in virtually all animal species tested.
A new approach in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery
Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer has been increasingly performed worldwide because it is less invasive and has superior cosmesis with good surgical outcomes. However, laparoscopic surgery is sometimes excluded as an option for some patients with colorectal
What happens when quick-response code meets with glucose sensing?
Today, diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia severely harm human health and daily life. For example, the diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and of early death. However, conventional glucose sensors containing spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry, liquid chromatography and flow
Teledermatology improves patient access to specialist care in New Zealand
Teledermatology is the use of a cell phone or computer to provide dermatologic services. A patient or his or her healthcare provider can receive advice on the diagnosis and management of their skin condition while never seeing
