Author Archives: karen
The sound of one hand clapping
Combat in the animal kingdom is pervasive. Animals fight to gain mates, food and suitable places to rest and they fight to protect what they have, be it food or young. But with fighting there is risk,
Structure-function relationships
This study compared a new form of visual field analysis, flicker defined form, with conventional analysis techniques and compared both with anatomical measurements of the retina. These measurements are important in the diagnosis and evaluation of glaucoma,
Artificial agents, good care, and modernity
Technology has always been used in health care. But what about robots and other automation technology? What about artificial agents: technological entities that act in a health care environment? Should they be allowed to take over care
Metabolic regulation by the intestinal hormone FGF19: From basic science to clinical application
Physiological adaptations of our body to changes in nutritional status induced by fasting or food intake occur various times per day and are crucial to maintain a healthy metabolic state. To meet this requirement, our body is
The quest for targeted therapy in fragile X syndrome
For many years we believed that most hereditary diseases were untreatable. However, hopes for a cure were raised following the discovery of genetic causes and better understanding of disease mechanisms. This elucidated new targets for therapy. The
A new technology welcomes you in smudge-free world
Windows, walls, and automobile interior repelling smudge are no longer a dream. A new paint has been invented at Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada), which will reduce fingerprints deposition on glass, prevent graffiti/acid rain from historical statutes,
Antipsychotic medications in pregnancy: Balancing the needs of mother and child
Consider Jenny, first diagnosed with schizophrenia in her 20’s. After years of suffering the severe symptoms of her illness along with medication side-effects, she was commenced on a new class of medications, “atypical antipsychotics”. She was finally
What is the right blood transfusion trigger?
Blood transfusions are used in medical practice every day all over the world. Their use is largely aimed at restoration of the necessary number of red blood cells (erythrocytes), which main goal is to transport the oxygen
Control the frustration between molecular pairs with external stimuli-responsive motions
Given the growing importance of economic and sustainable chemical processes, chemists have been continuously devoting their efforts to the development of homogeneous systems for molecular transformations with earth – abundant elements. As such, much attention has recently
PDE2 is a potential new target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy
Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in the Western World today. It typically involves a deficiency of the heart to provide sufficient blood flow and/or blood pressure to meet the requirements of the
Identifying doses in commercial liquid drugs sterilized by ionizing radiation
Drug sterilization with ionizing radiation, such as gamma-radiation using doses up to 25 kGy is a well-established technology, which can adequately eliminate bacteria by breaking down their DNA. This method is gaining ground due to its numerous
A new mouse model to study the biology of depression in cancer
Patients with advanced cancers often experience depression, which can significantly reduce their quality of life and increase mortality. Currently, the lack of a valid and useful animal model is the greatest obstacle for studying the basic biology
Can smart tech help incentivise and target shifts in mobility behaviour?
Motorised transport use causes 13% of all global GHG emissions, 23% of global carbon dioxide emissions and more than 80% of air pollution in developing countries, contributing to deaths arising from poor air quality. Hence, a main
Potential health benefits from the consumption of berry seed oils
Fats together with carbohydrates and proteins are the main nutrients of our diet. In public opinion, a diet rich in fats is not associated with healthy life style, which is a result of their high caloric value
The master puppeteer? – Impact of microbes on brain and behaviour
For the longest time microbiology & neuroscience used to be studied independently and with limited overlap. Recently, however, research on the microbiome and its interaction with our organs, including the brain, is increasingly gaining momentum. With more
Participation of secreted protein L5 in formation of outer membrane vesicles produced by Lysobacter sp. XL1
Formation of outer membrane vesicles is a physiological feature of Gram-negative bacteria. Vesicles formation is result of splitting off the evagination of bacterial outer membrane. Its size varies from 20 to 300 nm. During formation of vesicles,
A variant RNA polymerase controls bacterial pathogenicity and stress responses
In order for cells to carry out normal functions, the genetic information stored in DNA needs to be first converted to RNA. This conversion – known as transcription – is carried out by a class of enzymes
Dogs with lymphoma have better therapeutic responses and longer lifespans if they revealed lower white blood cell count after chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is effective against rapidly growing neoplasm. Chemotherapeutic drugs also damage other rapidly dividing cells, such as bone marrow stem cells. Because white blood cells have the shortest life spans in the hemocyte, bone marrow suppression commonly
Over-expression of TRX2 reduces p53-mediated cell death in yeast
The p53 gene is a human tumor suppressor which is involved in cell cycle regulation. It has an efficient ability to inhibit cell proliferation, by both blocking cell cycle progression and promoting apoptotic cell death in order
The future of Laron syndrome
Laron syndrome (LS) first described 50 years ago in 1966 is with few exceptions a genetic form of severe short stature, found in the majority of instances in patients originating from the Mediterranean, Middle East and South Asian
