Author Archives: karen
Vaccinating pregnant women – a global perspective
The World Health Organization (WHO) influenza vaccine policy recommendations aim to protect vulnerable high-risk groups from severe disease. In a 2012 update of its influenza vaccine position, WHO recommended that countries considering the initiation or expansion of
Producing recombinant proteins for human use
Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines are the most frequently used cell lines in the biopharmaceutical industry for the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins, because they can be easily genetically manipulated, grow quickly, can be easily adapted
Researchers describe “imm-unifying theory” capable of explaining multiple medical problems
About a year ago, investigators at the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD found that patients who had organ transplants fared quite well after traumatic events. The authors of the manuscript, which was published in the Journal
Human dignity and the physician’s conscience
Human dignity is a term with multiple interpretations. Often it is used in connection with self-determination by viewing autonomy as an expression of dignity. However, human dignity is not only seen as a human capability but also
Antiepileptic property of vitamin B12 in one animal model
Epilepsy –a serious neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide– is usually associated with a disturbance of normal activity of the brain, and in most typical form, is accompanied by seizures. Various antiepileptic drugs with different
Excess oxygen worsens actual oxygen supply to the heart muscle in pigs
The use of supplemental oxygen in acute medical care is perceived beneficial by many health care professionals. However, current guidelines limit the excess use of oxygen after successful resuscitation following cardiac arrest. This recommendation is based on
Allergic reaction to drug used to treat pulmonary hypertension
Treprostinil belongs to a category of drugs called prostacyclins, used to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, otherwise known as pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is available in an intravenous, subcutaneous, inhaled and oral form. The most
Long-haul truck drivers share views of safety on the road
From the food we eat to the clothes we buy and everything in between, long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs) are essential to transporting such goods across long distances, and in many cases across several states. On average, LHTDs
Using nanotechnology to outsmart pancreatic cancer
Cancer is a versatile disease and makes use of complex cellular signaling networks to defend itself against a host of treatments. Pancreatic cancer in particular has proven challenging with tenacious resistance to DNA-damaging chemoradiation. Malignant cells disobey
Parasites hidden in feedstuff – pigs also have to watch what they eat!
In many parts of the world, Sunday pork roast is not as delicious as it might sound. The tapeworm with the Latin name Taenia solium is a parasite that causes much suffering mainly in low-income countries where
Rare breast tumor cells in lymph nodes are enough to impact on cancer cure
Early detection of breast cancer leads to essential cure of the vast majority of patients, through surgery and associated therapies. However, severe outcomes can be observed even among disease cases currently categorized as low-risk. Approximately 15% of
An intracellular membrane system helps cells to divide
Cell duplication is the fundamental requirement for the development of multi-cellular organisms, a process that relies on two basic events: replication of the genetic information and the consequent separation of this information into two daughter cells. The
Is digoxin safe?
Digoxin is a medication commonly used in patients with heart disease. It is extracted from the foxglove plant and was first described in 1785. During the last few centuries it has become an established treatment in patients
Are bleached teeth inflamed?
Some tooth-whitening procedures leave the treated teeth painful. The cause of this pain is unknown. To investigate the cause, we wanted to measure the blood flow in the teeth to see if they had become inflamed. Inflammation
Current dietary habits of infants and toddlers in Belgium
Feeding habits early in life are important since they are related with the development of obesity and other health problems, such as high blood pressure, later in life. Prevention is the only feasible approach to control the
Using ‘Big Data’ approaches to gain new insights into asthma
By combining fibre optic camera technology with the mathematics of ‘Big Data’ from Silicon Valley, researchers at Southampton have been with gaining new insights into the nature of the world’s commonest long-term lung disease: asthma. Up to
Emerging insights from the green world into growth and ageing
Unlike animals whose form and fate is largely determined a brief embryogenesis, plants typically elaborate variable forms more gradually, and in some cases can grow for thousands of years. These differences can be largely attributed to distinct
Chicken and egg issues in aging: Which happens first, physical or mental aging?
We all know older people who are mentally sharp but physically weak, or still physical healthy but showing signs of mental decline. And we all hope that we will be one of the lucky ones who will
Psychological stress can influence key immune activities and an important protein in the response to infection
The central role played by our immune system is to protect us against infections. In doing so, the immune response creates a localized toxic inflammatory environment that makes it difficult for the infectious agent to survive. In
A gentle look at the heart
Coronary artery disease is one of the major causes of death in the Western population, mainly because of the potential risk of a heart attack. The latter often occurs out of the blue and the only chance
